


You Bit Who?!

by AltruisticSkittles



Series: Werewolves and Vampires and Witches (Oh My!) [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Blood, Death Threats, Dot and Larry - Freeform, Eating, Food, Food mentions, Gen, Gore, Miscommunication, Sexual Humor, Thomas - Freeform, Vampires, Werewolves, also there's this guy who keeps hitting on him, and Virgil is not happy, and a few OCs - Freeform, and he's small and has no money, and neither is someone else in their pack, brotherly Logicality - Freeform, brotherly prinxiety - Freeform, but the enemy has been his friend for a year, content warnings include, cursing, descriptions of violence, guest appearances by - Freeform, in which Patton is rooming with the enemy, lots of platonic moceit, one remus mention that goes nowhere, pining mosleep that goes nowhere, puns until you hate puns, so poor Patton is stuck in the middle of a war he shouldn't be involved in, so you can imagine the kind of stress he's under
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 11:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 40,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21252320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AltruisticSkittles/pseuds/AltruisticSkittles
Summary: It's the start of a new school year! Patton, Virgil, and Roman all return to college, and Logan gets on with life as normal as humanly (?) possible. However, Patton hits a bit of a speed bump when Virgil finds out his roommate's name, and Virgil is all too eager to voice his disapproval. However, Patton is still willing to give Damian a chance, even if he is something that could potentially get him killed. One shouldn't judge by appearances, after all.It turns out, Virgil isn't the only one that feels that way. Patton finds himself stuck in the middle of a war that has been going for the past 300 years. He's going to have to make a choice. Which side is he on? Who would he rather lose? And more importantly, how can he find a way to make everyone happy?The only person Patton keeps forgetting about is himself, and it may come back to bite him later.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, hello there! This was a monster of a story that got waaaay out of hand. It wasn't supposed to get this long, but things happen I guess.
> 
> If you haven't read the part before this, don't worry! There are little clues throughout the chapter to catch you up to speed. However, it's encouraged you do read the first part before this if you want the full picture. It's not quite as long as this one, so it may be nice to get your feet wet before you dive in, you know?
> 
> Oh, and make sure you read responsibly! Take breaks, get yourself a cup of water, and make sure you're not skipping class. That can lead to more problems than it's worth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word count: 19,279
> 
> Chapter warnings: arguments, food, food mentions, eating, bats, blood, blood mentions, catcalling, lying, vomit mention, death mentions, implied previous slavery, biting mentions, car accident scare, alcohol mention, death threats, a lot of bad puns, you’re gonna have a bad time reblogging this on mobile because it’s so long

“Crunch, crunch, crunch-”

Virgil rose a brow and asked, “Patton, what are you doing?”

“I’m stepping in leaves.”

“There are no leaves.”

“I know, but I’m just pretending.”

“Besides, we’re in Florida. We don’t have deciduous trees that traditionally lose their leaves in September,” Logan said as he adjusted the box in his arms.

“Yeah, and we don’t have ones that change colors here either,” Roman added. Logan gave him a look that spoke more words than his dictionary.

Patton grabbed the two people closest to him around their shoulders and pulled them into his side. One looked rather amused while the other looked ready to bite at any time, though everyone was sure he wouldn’t.

“Does it matter?” Patton chirped, “Our second year of college is starting up. Isn’t that exciting?”

“Yippee,” the black-eyed wonder beside him mumbled as he kept in step with the other two.

Patton looked down to his right side and said, “Oh, come on, Virgil. I’m sure we’re going to have lots of fun.”

“Oh yeah, because nothing says fun like staying up for hours worrying if you’re going to pass or fail, and don’t get me started on the papers that need to be done before the deadline and the threat of being kicked out and-”

“I think he gets the picture, Nightmare in Third Period,” Roman said on the other side of Patton. Virgil made no move to acknowledge what he said, but he also didn’t continue.

“Are you excited, Roman?” Patton asked, turning his attention to the other brother.

Roman put on a charming smile and nodded his head. He caught sight of a boy he definitely wanted the number of, and a low wolf whistle floated past his lips, “Indeed I am.”

Logan accidentally- well maybe on purpose- bumped the box of things into Roman’s arm, earning a cry of surprise from Roman. Logan mumbled an apology afterward (though its sincerity was questionable).

The dorms loomed above them, and Patton hopped inside like a rabbit ready to speed through the school year. Roman and Virgil stared up at their home for the next nine months. Logan took a deep breath. The twins shared a look before entering through the doors and finding the elevator.

“From what Patton told me,” Logan said, “you three are at least on the same floor.”

“Yeah,” Virgil mumbled. He sighed and shifted the luggage in his hands, “but we don’t know who he’s rooming with. He wouldn’t tell me.”

“He didn’t?” Logan rose a brow.

Roman blinked at Logan, his eyes going wide for a moment, “Wait, you know?”

“Of course. Patton tells me everything, even things I do not wish to know about him,” Logan explained. He rounded the stairs and opened the door to the second floor.

“Well, who is it?” Virgil asked.

“Patton, glad to see you could make it.”

Virgil froze on the stairs. Roman bumped into his back and clawed to catch the box he nearly dropped down the stairs. He opened his mouth to ask what happened.

“Oh hell no,” Virgil growled.

Virgil dropped his luggage on the staircase and ran past Logan, earning quite a few shouts of his name. He sped down the hall and slid on the wax floor. Virgil yelped as he spun and landed rather ungracefully on his hands and knees. Why couldn’t dogs land on their feet too?

A door closed up ahead, and Virgil grit his teeth. He struggled back onto his feet and sped down the hallway toward the once open door. Polished nails dug into his skin as he pounded a fist on it.

There was a pause before the door handle turned, and the door reopened. Patton’s smiling face greeted him.

“Oh, hello Vir-”

Virgil shoved the door open, earning a surprised squeak from Patton as the wood squished him against the wall. With murder in his eyes, Virgil stomped up to his victim and pointed a clawed finger at them.

“Get out. Transfer. Do something. You’re not rooming with Patton.”

A pointed grin greeted him as velvet lips purred, “What’s wrong, Virgil? Angry because you’re afraid I’ll mark your territory?”

Virgil puffed up his chest and growled, “Listen-”

“Guys,” Patton protested as he closed the door, “no fighting in the dorm rooms.”

“You do anything to Patton, and I’ll-”

“Oh, Virgil, I’m offended.” They put a hand to their chest. “Patton is one of my best friends. I wouldn’t dream of hurting him.”

Virgil snarked a breathy laugh and responded, “Yeah, right, I’ll believe that when pigs fly.”

“Guys,” Patton protested as he hurried toward them.

“Well you better, because like it or not, Patton’s my roommate for the year now.” A face lowered, nearly nose to nose with Virgil’s own. The hair on Virgil’s neck bristled, and he pressed their noses together. 

“Not for long you’re not.”

“Guys!” Patton pushed between them, a hand on each of their chests and spreading them wider apart. His head turned side to side, and he set his jaw into a rather non-threatening scowl- at least compared to the other two. “Now, I don’t know what bad blood you have with each other, but you’re both my friends. You don’t have to fight over me.”

A knock sounded at the door, and Patton’s attention turned to it. He called out through a strained voice, “Hello, who is it?”

“It’s us,” Logan announced.

“Oh, um, just a second.” Patton did his best to lead Virgil over to the door, though Virgil digging his boot heels into the carpet didn’t help. He struggled to open the door and met two rather annoyed abandoned packmates standing outside. He greeted them both with a smile.

“I hope you don’t think I’m carrying all your things to your room, Virgil,” Roman grumbled. He noted the lack of Virgil’s attention, and he put one hand on his hip as the other snapped to retrieve Virgil’s attention. “Hello, earth to Virgil, I’m over here.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” Virgil growled as he kept his attention on Patton’s roommate.

“Well then, do something about it,” Roman growled. He put both hands on his hips, “because I’m not going to break my newly manicured nails just because you have a bone to pick with Patton’s roommate.” He paused. “Wait, who is Patton’s roommate anyway?”

Virgil growled as Patton’s roommate sauntered across the room and leaned heavily on the doorway. He caught Roman’s eye and spread a toothy grin. Roman’s fur bristled, and he took a step back.

“Well, hello there. You must be the Roman I heard so much about,” Patton’s roommate purred.

Virgil’s head snapped over to him, “Don’t you dare.”

“I’m thoroughly confused at your sudden burst of hostility, Virgil,” Logan said as he adjusted the box’s weight in his arms. “It’s only Damian.”

“Only Damian?” Virgil snapped. He glared at Damian, who rose a brow at him.

“Yes, only Damian. Patton and he have been friends all through last year, and they have kept in quite a close contact since the school year ended,” Logan informed. He walked past a jaw dropped Virgil, an exasperated Patton, and an indifferent Damian. With a sigh of relief, Logan set the heavy box down on what he assumed to be Patton’s bed, dusted his arms off, and turned his attention back to them.

Virgil turned his head to Logan, a mix of shock and disgust raising a brow and curling his lip. His jaw hung open as he asked, “He has, and you didn’t tell us?”

“Of course not. It’s not my business who Patton decides to socialize with. I am not his guardian, nor is Patton unable to make his own choices when it comes to what company he decides to collect,” Logan responded.

“It is if they’re a fucking vampire.”

The room held its breath. Virgil once again locked eyes with Damian, who put a hand to his chest.

“Oh, Virgil, you poor misguided soul. I’m not a vampire.”

“The hell you’re not!”

“Now, Virgil,” Patton scolded, “just because you don’t like someone doesn’t make them a vampire.”

“You’re right. Being a vampire makes them a vampire.”

Damian snorted through his nose. “Obviously Virgil is delusional from lack of sleep. Maybe you should go set up your own dorm for now and stop being so paranoid.”

“I know what I saw!” Virgil lunged for Damian, but Patton stepped in between them again. Patton looked at Roman for help, but Roman for once held an uncertain expression. It was Logan who stepped in and grabbed Virgil’s other arm.

“Virgil, did it not occur to you that Damian is out in broad daylight.”

“Yeah, with a million layers of clothes and a hat.”

“It’s almost Autumn.”

“We’re in Florida!”

Patton put both of his hands on Virgil’s shoulders. Virgil stopped struggling, but his eyes never left Damian. Damian, however, grew bored and started unpacking his things. Patton moved into Virgil’s line of sight and forced Virgil to look at him.

“Virgil, I know you’re a bit of a worrywart, but I’ve been with Damian alone tons of times before, and even if he is a vampire, he hasn’t hurt me yet.”

Virgil’s jaw locked, and he swallowed hard. He took a deep breath through his nose and whispered, “But I know he’s a vampire, Patton. He smells just like one. Just look at Roman. He can feel it too. You gotta believe me.”

Patton glanced over Virgil’s shoulder and caught Roman, who still made no move to enter inside the room, and nodded his head. He patted Virgil’s shoulder and moved his hands from Virgil’s shoulders to cup his cheeks. He whispered, “I’ll call you first if anything goes wrong, okay?”

“I’d rather nothing go wrong,” Virgil grumbled.

“Patton is more than capable of handling himself,” Logan responded. Patton turned to him with a bright smile, and Logan did his best to return it. After checking to make sure Damian was still preoccupied, he continued in a hushed tone, “He handled me with no help on my first shift, after all, and look at how he parents the puppies on a full moon.”

A brief grin graced Virgil’s face, but he dashed it away quickly. He caught Damian’s eye as he sighed and lowered his head in defeat.

“One inch of a fang in your general direction, and you call me, got it?”

Patton saluted as he said, “You got it, Captain Emo.”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Roman said, snapping out of whatever trance he was in. He patted Virgil’s shoulder, his fingers squeezing a bit, and continued, “Come, Virgil, let Logan and Patton set up Patton’s dorm. We can go set up ours a while.”

Virgil took a deep breath and nodded. He exhaled through his nose in a whine and followed Roman out of the room. The door closed behind them with a gentle click.

“Well, that was exciting,” Damian said as he folded a shirt and placed it into the drawer in front of him. He chuckled before he continued, “I can’t believe Virgil still believes in monsters.”

Logan and Patton shared a knowing look as they moved onto unpacking Patton's things. As Logan predicted, Damian took the top bunk. Damian’s bed was rather bare compared to the pile of stuffed animals, two pillows, and three blankets Patton dragged with him, but one only needed a sheet and a pillow Logan supposed. Besides, Patton would be more than happy to share something if Damian needed it.

“If you’ve forgotten anything, make sure to call me, and I’ll be here as soon as I can to deliver it,” Logan informed. Patton nodded his head. He wiped a tear from his eye, and Logan rose a brow. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just,” Patton sniffled, “it’s been a really long time since I’ve been this far away from you, Lo. I just… I’m really going to miss you.”

“I’m only three hours away,” Logan responded.

“Yeah, and that’s a really long way away.”

Logan sighed, a ghost of a smile widening his lips. He patted Patton on the shoulder, and Patton closed the space to hug Logan around the middle. Logan rose his arms in surprise. Patton nuzzled his head under Logan’s chin and rested it there, taking a contented breath in and out. Logan patted Patton’s head, and his left cheek tugged at a smile. He caught Damian’s amused expression from across the room and cleared his throat.

“Alright, Patton, I’ll see you in a few days,” Logan said.

“A few days?” Damian asked and rose a brow. “What do you mean? Our first break isn’t until Thanksgiving.”

“I’m aware,” Logan responded as he adjusted his glasses. Patton slid off of Logan and took a seat on his bed.

“It’s a family thing,” Patton explained. “We’re a pack of party animals every month.”

Logan resisted the urge to slide his hand over his face and sighed. He nodded his head and walked toward the door.

“Good evening, gentleman, and good luck in your classes.”

“Bye!” Patton said and waved his hand back and forth quickly. Damian merely nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Logan stepped out the door and closed it behind him. For the first time, the room was left in dead silence. Damian turned to Patton on the computer’s swivel chair and watched Patton wipe fresh tears off his cheeks.

“Are you going to be alright?” Damian asked.

Patton sniffled and nodded his head. “I’ll be okay.”

“Good. Now, please take a shower. You smell like wet dog.”

Patton laughed to shake his nerves and scooped up a change of clothes. He knew the pack’s scent would be all over him, but hopefully, Damian wouldn’t notice. He probably only smelled the other three when they were in the room. 

Did they really smell like wet dog? He'd have to warn them about that.

After showering and coming back to the dorm, he found Damian trying to open the window in their room. It hissed and squeaked as he pushed on it- wait scratch that. Patton wasn’t sure if it was Damian or the window making that noise.

“You need any help?” Patton asked as he came to Damian’s side.

Damian’s head snapped toward him with a scowl. Patton recoiled even if he knew Damian’s frustration was not directed at him. Damian sighed and nodded his head.

“I can’t sleep if the window’s not open,” Damian mumbled. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, no, it won’t bother me. I have a lot of blankets if I get cold,” Patton said. He pushed on the other side of the window. With a groan, the window shot up and hit the top of the window frame. Damian stood back and put his hands on his hips.

“Thanks."

“No-”

The window slammed down. Patton yelped in surprise, and Damian pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“Maybe if we prop it up with something it’ll stay open,” Damian suggested.

“Oh! Hang on.” Patton hurried away and dug through the drawers. He pulled out a wooden ruler and showed it off. “Logan had me pack one just in case I needed one for math class.”

Damian rose a brow. “He did?”

“Yeah,” Patton’s face beamed, “It was a _rule_-r that I had to have one.”

Damian blinked at the pun and rolled his eyes with a light smile. He took the ruler from Patton and set it on the window sill. Together, they got the window back up, and Damian propped the ruler under the window. At first, it bent, and they were afraid it wouldn’t hold, but it didn’t budge further from its bulged spot.

“Well done,” Damian complimented.

“Well, you can always _count_ on me if you’re in trouble,” Patton responded.

“I’ll remember that,” Damian replied. He practically sprinted up the ladder onto the top bunk of the beds and let out a content sigh. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to take a nap.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be as quiet as I can.”

Damian peered over the side of his bed at Patton, and Patton sent a large smile. Damian smirked back, and he rolled over into the dark corner of his bed.

“Good night, Damian.”

“Good afternoon, Patton.”

\--

With the start of a new year, Patton couldn’t wait to meet up with some friends he left behind for the summer. Of course he didn’t want to lose touch with them, and he did keep in close contact with Virgil and Roman for obvious reasons, but volunteering at the local library took up a lot of his free time.

Patton scrolled through the messages on his phone and waited eagerly for Thomas’s reply. He chewed on the skin of his lip as he sat under the large palm tree in the courtyard. Thomas said he’d meet him here, and then the two of them would get together and get some pizza while they talked about their summer.

Apparently Thomas took up a job with his aunt over the summer, but he wouldn’t go into the details with Patton. He just kept saying it was going to help people. That was a good enough thing for Patton to know anyway. He wasn’t nosy by nature.

“Well, if it isn’t Patton Shea,” a voice above him said.

Patton turned his head, and a smile lit up his face. “Oh, hey Emile! I thought you graduated last year.”

“No, I still have one more year left,” Emile informed. “You mind if I sit with you a bit?”

“Oh, no, have a seat,” Patton said and slid over. Emile did as he was told, and he rested his back against the tree. Patton wondered how Emile was wearing a sweater vest in this heat, but he knew Emile’s mother knitted them for him, and he’d never stop wearing them just because it was a little humid outside.

“So, how’s Logan been?” Emile asked.

“Oh, he’s been okay. He got a job working as a doctor at a local office.”

“Oh, that’s great!”

“Yeah. He lives up by Roman and Virgil, actually.”

Emile scratched his hair and hummed. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I know who they are.”

“Oh, it’s okay! They’re friends of mine,” Patton covered up. He sent a nervous smile.

“So, I’m guessing he’s on his way to becoming that big-league doctor he always wanted to be.”

“Oh, yeah! He’s gotten a few job offers, but he doesn’t want to move that far away yet. A lot of people are impressed with him.”

“Well, he did want to be a heart surgeon.” Emile’s smile fell a bit. “It’s the least he could do.”

The air between them grew heavy, and Patton let out a long sigh. He nodded his head and replied, “Yeah.”

“I bet his mom would be proud.”

“Oh, she definitely would. She would've shown off Logan’s report card to anyone who would listen.” He laughed. “And then there was my mom, who shut her down.”

“Oh, I remember that story!” Emile laughed.

Patton nodded his head. “I think Logan’s cool though.”

“I think so too.” Emile paused and added, “I was wondering how he made out. The last I saw of him, he was running out of our finals with an upset stomach.”

Patton raked through his memory for when that happened, but his memory didn’t fall on any specific information. He asked, “When was that?”

“Oh, the last week of school or so. I gave him crackers to try and settle his stomach, but I don’t know if they helped.”

“I’m sure they did.”

Emile sighed and nodded his head. “I was wondering. I’m going to be a doctor, but not that kind of doctor.”

“Still, I’m sure Logan appreciated it,” Patton said with a smile. “He always talked so highly of you.”

Emile lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah, and he considered you a good friend while he was here.”

The thought brought a brighter smile to Emile’s face and rivaled the sun. Patton almost brought up his hand to shield himself from the glare- figurative glare of course.

“Well, how about that.”

Running feet caught both Emile and Patton’s attention, and Patton’s own smile lit up. He stood up to greet his friend.

“Hey, Thomas!”

“Sorry I’m late!” Thomas stopped and put his hands on his knees. “I need to get in shape.”

“It’s okay,” Patton said as he held his hands out for a hug. Thomas gratefully accepted, and the two squeezed each other in a hug that would make a bear jealous. Patton could feel Thomas’s heart pounding against his chest, and he took a deep breath in. “You didn’t have to run.”

“I know,” Thomas said. He held on for a few more seconds before letting Patton go.

“So, you still want to get a slice of pizza together?” Patton asked.

“Oh do I ever,” Thomas looked over Patton’s shoulder. He smiled. “Oh, hey there. I don’t think I met you before.

“Oh, I’m Emile. I’m a friend of Patton’s brother,” he introduced as he stood up. He offered his hand to shake, and Thomas took it.

“Nice to meet you." They released each other's hands. "You want to get a slice of pizza with us?”

Emile fidgeted and bit his lip. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he replied, “Oh, thank you for the invitation, but I’m lactose intolerant.”

“Oh.” Thomas’s smile dropped, but he picked it back up and added, “That’s okay. Maybe we can hang out together another time.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Emile said with a wave of his hand. “You two go have fun. It was nice seeing you again, Patton.”

“You too!” Patton chirped. He and Thomas walked side by side in step as they headed over toward the food court. The journey didn’t last long, and they ordered their food and sat at a table in practically no time at all. Patton stopped his cheese from sliding off his slice with a swift bite, and Thomas laughed at his effort.

“Escaping cheese? How _dairy_.”

Patton smirked and replied, “Wow, Thomas, that pun was extra _cheesy_.”

The two of them laughed, and Thomas picked up a packet of garlic powder to sprinkle on his pizza. He struggled to get the packet open. Patton offered his assistance, and Thomas took it with a word of thanks. Patton struggled at first. The tiny plastic container sure put up a fight. However, Patton got a good grip on it, even if his fingers were greasy, and gave a swift yank. The packet flew open, spraying garlic powder everywhere.

“Oops,” Patton mumbled as he observed the mess he made. He grabbed a napkin and started sweeping it off the table.

“Here, let me help.” Thomas grabbed a napkin, and together they swept the garlic powder into a pile. They both walked to the trash can and sprinkled the powder inside. Thomas grabbed two more packets from the condiments stand and joined Patton back at the table.

“There is no such thing as too much garlic,” Thomas informed as he opened another packet much more carefully this time.

Patton picked up his pizza, which he noticed got showered with the great garlic powder attack of 2019, and took a trying bite. His eyes widened as he hummed. “Wow, it does taste pretty good on pizza.”

“I know, right?” Thomas took a bite of his own.

“I think this is going to the _toppings_ of my list the next time I get pizza.”

Thomas snorted. “And you thought my puns were cheesy.”

Patton shrugged and giggled. “Okay, it wasn’t my best.”

The two of them swapped stories about their summer over their shared slices of pizza. Obviously, Patton left out the bits about him bonding with a whole bunch of werewolves, but otherwise, they had a lot to catch up on. The more Thomas spoke of this aunt who ran a special pharmacy in his town, the more Patton wanted to meet her. She sounded fun.

Eventually, Thomas and Patton parted to go their separate ways. Thomas still had a dorm to set up, and Patton had to return home and finish unpacking his stuff as well. Damian should be awake by now, hopefully, so he wouldn’t have to worry about waking him up.

As Patton opened the door to their shared space, he whispered, “Hey, Damian, are you awake?”

“I’m awake,” came a deep reply from the top bunk. Patton closed the door behind him, and he took off his shoes. He walked them over to his bed and set them under the bottom bunk.

“Okay, good, because I-”

“Patton.”

“Yes?”

“What were you eating?”

“Um, I had pizza with one of my friends while you were asleep. If you’re hungry, we could-”

“No, I’m not hungry. You just stink.”

Patton put his hands on his hips and scolded, “Now, mister, that’s the second time today you’ve said something negative about me. How about we try a positive this time?”

Damian paused. “I’m positive you’ll kill me with your smell.”

Patton sighed. He scratched his hands through his hair and mumbled, "Close enough I guess,” before flopping down on his bed. He was sure Logan would send him a text to see how he was doing. He’d make sure to mention Emile was asking about him. Right on time, Logan’s text appeared on his screen, and Patton smiled to himself.

_Bro-gan: Greetings Patton. I was wondering if you were settling in well with your new roommate. Obviously the two of you are friends, so there is no high confrontation risk, but I want to make sure everything is going well._

Patton started to type out his reply on his phone.

“Hey,” Damian spoke in a hushed voice. It sounded like he spoke through his teeth, “it’s not your fault, and you didn’t know, but garlic is a trigger smell for me.”

Patton sucked in a deep breath and said, “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I’ll go brush my teeth.”

As quickly as he could, Patton dug through his bag and picked out his toothbrush and toothpaste. He grabbed mouthwash and floss as well just in case. As Patton left the room to brush his teeth, he saw Damian peeking out at him from under his blanket. He swallowed hard.

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. You didn’t know.”

Patton nodded his head. He closed the door behind him and let out a long breath through his nose. Okay, so no garlic. That was fine. He could live without garlic. Besides, the last thing he’d want to do is upset Damian anymore than he already did today.

Maybe rooming with Damian was going to be harder than he thought it would.

Patton brushed his teeth three times, rinsed his mouth out twice (and maybe swallowed a little bit), and for extra measure, washed his hands with a bunch of lavender soap. The smell always soothed Virgil. He hoped it would calm Damian as well.

When Patton returned, Damian wasn’t sitting in his bed anymore. The sunset painted orange light across the room to try and warm Patton. He sighed and turned on the lamp next to his bed. Patton pulled out his phone and responded to Logan’s text.

_Me: Everything’s going great! :D I settled in, and Damian is slee-_ Patton deleted what he wrote- _Damian is happy I’m here. We’re getting along great. :D_

Patton hit send, and he put his phone against his chest. He picked it back up and sent another reply.

_Me: Miss u already :')_

Patton set the phone on the counter beside him. He folded his arms against his pillow and squeezed it against his face. Hopefully, he cleared the smell of garlic on his body enough that Damian was okay. He hoped wherever Damian was, he was okay. That's all he wanted: everyone to be okay. 

His phone buzzed. Patton threw his pillow onto the floor and picked his phone up. A smile graced his face.

_Bro-gan: And I miss you as well. However, we shall see each other in seventeen days._

Patton sighed. After spending his life with Logan, seventeen days seemed like an awfully long time. Patton picked up a pen on the nightstand and crossed off today on his calendar. He stared at the next full moon marking like a child waiting for Christmas and let out a long sigh.

“Seventeen more days,” Patton mumbled to himself.

\--

Patton’s first few days of school went by pretty uneventfully. A few classes he recognized people in, but not all of them. It seems quite a few people dropped out of school after their first year. Of course, education was a hard field to get into nowadays, and a lot of teachers retired early due to the rising pressure to teach what the government wanted, but Patton thought of that more as a challenge. Sure the rules were stupid, but there had to be a way to make it fun.

He just had to find a way.

Patton paused at the hot chocolate shop outside of their dorm. It’d been almost three months since he had a cup, as he didn’t want to drink it around Logan and have him accidentally ingest chocolate by mistake. He remembered those three days of misery vividly. Patton ordered himself a cup. The warm steam soothed his stiff muscles and greeted him like an old friend. As he took a sip, he wondered if Damian would like a cup as well. And after the garlic fiasco, it would make a good apology gift. He ordered a second cup of hot chocolate and scooted back toward their dorm. 

Patton pocketed his hand and pulled out his keys. With a whistle on his lips and a hop in his step, he climbed the first few steps to the second floor. As Patton reached the floor landing, the door opened. Patton bumped into another person and staggered backward. 

“Ow.”

“Oh I’m so sorry,” Patton said as he eyed the stranger in front of him. He noticed hot chocolate staining their shirt and bit his lip. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll live,” came the strained reply in front of him. “It’s not like I haven’t spilled coffee on myself, ya know?”

“Oh, it’s not coffee. It’s hot chocolate,” Patton chirped.

“Uh-huh.” Sunglasses lowered and stared at Patton over the tops. A wide grin lit their face. “Well, cutie, you’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”

Patton swallowed as his cheeks ran hot, and he wondered if he drank too much hot chocolate. He nervously laughed and looked down at his feet. “Well, I really am sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“How about a date?”

Patton stiffened. The stranger closed the gap between them, their noses nearly touching. Patton took a step back. His foot reached the edge of the stairs, and his balance wavered. An arm reached out and grabbed him around the middle before he fell. Patton put his wrist on their arm to help brace himself, and he sent a sheepish smile. 

“Thanks.”

“No problem, babe.”

“Uh,” Patton squirmed in their grip. Now he knew he was too hot, because this person practically felt like ice against his clothing. “W-well I should probably get going.”

The stranger eyed Patton over for a moment before sighing and nodding their head. They let go of Patton and nudged him in the door’s direction. 

“Be more careful, m’kay?” they said as they flashed a toothy smile at Patton. Patton nodded his head and watched the stranger disappear around the second set of steps.

“Wait!” Patton cried out. He climbed down a few stairs to stare down the railing. The stranger looked up and raised a brow. He continued, “My name is Patton.”

Their devilish grin returned as they purred, “Well, hey there Patton.”

Patton waited before he asked, “What’s yours?”

The stranger descended the stairs once again and responded, “Sorry, babe, that’s first date information.”

Patton watched them disappear down the stairs and hummed to himself. He took a deep breath in and out, and he finished climbing the stairs with an all-new bounce in his step. After struggling to open the door to the second floor, Patton traveled down the hallway toward his door and completed his path. He stuck the key into the lock and turned it with a gentle click.

“I’m home!” Patton chirped. He looked around the room and spied Damian sitting on the top bunk.

“Welcome back,” Damian greeted. 

Patton held out the extra cup. “And I brought you some hot chocolate.”

“How thoughtful.” Damian hopped from the bed directly onto the floor. As soon as he got close to Patton, his grin disappeared. “What’s wrong?”

“What?” Patton tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

Damian opened his mouth to say something, but he changed his mind mid-sentence, and explained, “You’re all red. Are you sick?”

Patton’s cheeks seemed to burn brighter, and he looked away. He cleared his throat and let out a nervous giggle. “Oh, this? I’m just super warm from the hot chocolate I guess. Here, this one’s yours.”

Damian hummed, the tilt in his head showing he didn’t believe Patton for a second. He took the hot chocolate nonetheless and set it down on the counter by the computer. With a heavy plop into the swivel chair, he set his feet on the desk and folded his arms over his chest.

“Now, Damian, we talked about this. No feet on the table,” Patton scolded.

“And we talked about this. I need to prop my feet up above my heart so my feet don’t swell,” Damian shot back, a playful smile on his lips.

Patton put a hand on his hip and accepted the excuse. He sat down on his bed, leaned back against the cushion of stuffed animals behind his back, and stared at the lid of his hot chocolate. Damian’s smile fell as he studied Patton, and he rose a brow.

“Are you sure it’s just the hot chocolate making you warm?” Damian asked.

“Oh! I’m sure,” Patton responded, a little too quick for Damian’s liking.”

“Positive?”

“One hundred percent absolutely positively.” Patton took a sip of hot chocolate to extinguish the burn in his chest.

“Alright, I’ll believe you. It’s not like you’d run into a stranger and get a crush at first sight or anything,” Damian said. 

Patton choked on his hot chocolate. The corner of Damian’s lips curled into a smile, and he tilted his head to the side. Patton set his cup of hot chocolate on the nightstand and walked to the kitchenette to grab a paper towel. Damian’s eyes followed him the whole way. Patton wiped the escaped chocolate from his mouth, a few ghost coughs landing in the paper.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Damian asked.

“Um,” Patton leaned against the table. “I don’t know. He didn’t even tell me his name.”

“So you did run into someone.”

“I guess,” Patton played with the dishtowel beside him. “But it was an accident! He was coming down the stairs as I was leaving.”

“Well, if he lives in this building, I sure hope you never run into him again.”

“Huh?”  
  


Damian paused. “Sarcasm, Patton.”

“Oh, yeah, gotcha.”

“Besides, it’s none of my business who you spend your time with. You’re an adult who can make his own terrible choices.”

Patton laughed nervously and set the dishtowel aside. He returned to his bed and sat down on it. A palm supported his cheek as his elbow rested on his lap. He took a deep breath in and out.

“I guess you’re right.” He stared down at the floor and kicked his feet. Would he ever see that person again? They were… charming, in a weird sort of way. The sunglasses were a nice touch, and Patton would be lying if the leather jacket didn’t help. What would he even say if he ran into them again? ‘Hello, yes, I bumped into you the other day and spilled hot chocolate on you.’ There was definitely a hidden pun or something to make that sentence better. Patton just had to find it.

If Patton was looking up, he would’ve noticed Damian casually dumping his full cup of gifted hot chocolate down the kitchen sink.

\--

A loud slam woke Patton from a deep sleep. He shot up in bed and hit his head off the top bunk. Patton groaned and rubbed the sore spot. What was that noise? Did Damian fall out of bed? Did something happen outside?

Patton blinked the remains of his sleep away and looked around the room. The almost full moon offered a decent amount of light outside and spotlighted the floor, and Patton checked the time on his phone. It was only two in the morning.

Next to Patton’s phone were wood splinters. Patton turned on his flashlight app. He inspected the room. Wood lay broken on the floor. Patton creased his brow. He turned his light onto the window and noticed it slammed closed, breaking his ruler in the process.

“Aww, that was Logan’s,” Patton whined to himself. He stood up and picked up the two broken pieces in his hand. He’d have to buy his brother a replacement.

Patton turned his attention to the top bunk, wondering if the sound disturbed Damian at all. However, when Patton peeked up the ladder, he noticed Damian’s bed still lay made. Patton’s heart sank. He really must’ve upset Damian with that garlic bread he forgot about in his lunch. Or, maybe Damian was out partying with friends. He did stay out really late sometimes.

With a heavy sigh, Patton wrapped himself up in his blankets. Just in case, he sent Damian a quick apology text. Hopefully, Damian would see it and-

Another thump made Patton stiffen. This one wasn’t nearly as loud, but it was close. It sounded like a bird hit the window. But that was impossible. No bird was up at two in the morning, right? Patton shuffled out of bed and walked to the window. He struggled to open it and peeked outside.

Below his dorm on the ground was a mass of black. It looked like a bird, but it wasn’t moving. Patton sucked in a deep breath. He grabbed his room key and hurried out of the dorm and down the stairs to see if the poor thing was okay. Maybe it was just something someone left outside, but he would rather know that black thing was okay.

Patton opened the building door and hurried to the spot under his room. As he turned the corner, he located the black mass outside of his window. Patton tiptoed in the grass. He wondered if he should crawl toward it to look less threatening. Slowly but surely, Patton made his way in the crunchy grass. 

Patton stopped a few feet away from it and blinked several times. The closer he got to it, the less birdlike it looked. If Patton didn’t know any better, he’d say it was a bat. He turned on his phone’s flashlight to try and illuminate the situation. 

A soft, high pitched noise stilled Patton’s breath. The creature struggled to move. Patton watched delicate wings flail in the grass. Two black eyes found Patton and watched his every move. It must've been a bat of some kind, since it was mainly brown and had a fluffy neck and bat wings. 

“Okay, okay,” Patton said as he turned off his light. “There, no more bright light. Better?”

The creature stopped struggling. Instead, it panted on the grass. Patton quick researched what to do if you find an injured bat on the ground since he was sure it couldn’t fly away on the ground. Stick. He had to find a stick.

Where would he find a stick?

Patton snapped his fingers. Maybe the ruler upstairs would help.

“Hang on, I’ll be right back,” Patton said to the bat. The poor little thing watched as Patton raced through the grass. Patton hurried up the stairs and through the hall as quietly as he could. He didn’t need anyone waking up and making this worse. Patton grabbed the broken ruler on the ground and noticed 7 inches were left. It was shorter than recommended, but it would have to do.

Patton peered out the window. He searched the ground, but the bat must’ve moved. He opened the window to get a better look, but the only thing he saw once again was empty grass. Patton hoped it flew away on its own. Perhaps it was able to climb the brick of the building to get better leverage.

As he stood there, he heard the door to their dorm open and close. Patton spun around. Damian’s eyes watched him from the doorway.

“Oh, welcome back,” Patton greeted with a smile. 

“What are you doing awake?” Damian asked, his voice scratchy like he screamed all night long. He must’ve been out partying.

“Oh, uh, there was this loud thump, and I woke up. Then I saw the ruler broke and the window slammed shut,” Patton said. He held up the broken ruler to emphasize his point. 

Damian nodded and sighed. He said, “Don’t worry about propping the window up tonight. I’ll figure out something better in the morning.”

Patton studied Damian as he rubbed his temples, and he tilted his head to the side. “You okay?”

“Headache,” Damian grumbled. He paused and added, “from the garlic this afternoon.”

Patton hummed and lowered his head. Damian climbed the ladder to his bunk, rested on top of the blanket, and let out a long sigh.

“I really am sorry about the garlic bread. I forgot.”

“It’s fine, Patton.”

Patton sat on the edge of his bed and squeezed the blanket into his fists. He listened to the stillness of the room, from Damian’s harsh breathing to his own beating heart. He shuffled under his blanket and squished his head into the pillow.

“Well, if you ever want to talk about it,” Patton yawned and let his eyes slip closed, “I’ll listen.”

Silence answered him. Damian snored, and Patton wished he could fall asleep that fast. He let out one final sigh and let his eyes slip closed. 

Hopefully, that bat was having a better day than he was.

\--

The unclosed curtain let the morning light into the room. Birds chirped and chattered as they dug in the grass for breakfast. A few kids spoke to one another as they headed to their morning classes.

Patton cracked his eyes open. He blinked and yawned, stretching his hands over his head. Usually he loved the morning, but this time, he felt sluggish and tired. It must’ve had to do with last night. 

Patton sat up and checked the time on his phone. Thankfully he didn’t have any classes today, so he could spend the whole day being lazy. A shiver rose up Patton’s spine. Maybe he’d get some hot chocolate to treat himself this morning. It would definitely pick up his mood.

Motion above him caused Patton to look up, and Patton whispered, “Damian, I’m going to get some hot chocolate. Do you want anything?”

A grumble answered him. He couldn’t quite make out what Damian said. Patton shimmied out of bed and climbed the ladder to get a better look.

“Sorry, Damo. DIdn’t hear you. What did you-”

Patton nearly lost his grip on the ladder. He took a sharp breath and held in a scream. Patton wondered if the top bunk would hold both his and Damian’s weight.

“Damian!” Patton cried. He shook Damian’s foot. “Damian, are you okay?”

Damian cracked an eye open, and he groaned. He sat up and narrowed his eyes at Patton. “What do you want?”

“Your face! It’s all full of-” Patton swallowed hard. “It’s all bloody.”

Damian squinted at him. However, the realization of what Patton said woke him up, and Damian wiped a finger at his face. Nothing came back. He scratched, and flakes of dried blood sprinkled onto the blanket.

“Oh,” was all he said.

“Are you okay? Do I need to take you to the nurse? Did you vomit in bed?”

“Patton.”

“I mean, I know you didn’t feel good last night, but did anything else happen to-”

“Patton, wait-”

“-you last night? I don’t know much about doctoring, but I know vomiting blood isn’t a good thing-”

“Patton,” Damian shuffled to the edge of the bed and put a hand over Patton’s mouth. “Shut up.”

Patton nodded his head up and down, and he took deep breaths through his nose. He watched Damian run his other hand through his hair. His brown eyes wouldn’t meet Patton’s own. Slowly, Damian let his hand slide off of Patton’s face, and Patton stayed quiet. He watched Damian swing his feet over the side of the bed and land on the floor with barely any noise at all.

“Where are you going?” Patton asked.

“To meet the president,” Damian responded as he walked toward the kitchen sink. He turned the faucet on and started scrubbing hot water on his face.

Patton observed Damian’s bed. Damian’s pillowcase had smeared blood on it, but other than that, there was no sign of Damian getting sick in his bed at all. Patton would have to let that soak in cold water. He learned that the hard way when he tried washing his clothes in hot water after the fiasco with Logan and his aunt.

Damian finished washing his face and patted it dry with a paper towel. He watched Patton’s movements as Patton stripped his pillow of its case and let it flutter to the floor. 

“Oh, good, it didn’t soak the pillow,” Patton observed.

Damian leaned against the counter and tapped it with a fingernail. His eyes followed Patton down the ladder and to the soiled pillowcase.

“I know what this looks like, but trust me when I say I’m fine,” Damian said.

Patton didn’t look at him. He grabbed the pillowcase and headed to the door. 

“Patton, wait-”

The door closed. Damian recoiled and pressed his palms into his eyes. How was he going to explain this? He scrubbed both of his hands over his face and grabbed his phone. Damian scrolled through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for. He took a deep breath and thumbed his message into the keypad.

_Me: Patton saw me with a bloody face what do I do?_

Damian hoped he was awake by now. He would need an excuse quick if Patton came back before an answer returned. However, he might also be in class, so there might not be an answer for at least an hour. Damian set his phone on the counter and cradled his head in his hands.

He liked Patton. He didn’t want to scare Patton off by telling him what he is. Of course, he knew Virgil and Roman were werewolves (and possibly Logan but he didn’t have confirmation on that one) so maybe Patton was okay with monsters. However, there was a real possibility that Patton didn’t know werewolves and vampires and witches and ghosts really existed, so he might not believe Damian even if he told the truth. Damian snorted. With how much he lied, it was a surprise Patton believed anything he said by now.

The phone vibrated, and Damian picked it up. He pressed on the text message and held his breath.

_Doc: Come clean._

Damian squinted. Was that a pun? This was no time to be joking- another text followed.

_Doc: Sorry, that wasn’t funny._

_Me: You’re damn right. I’m freaking out. What do I do?_

Damian’s finger tapped the side of his phone. He squeezed it in his grip. Maybe this was all part of a bad dream. Maybe when he woke up in the afternoon, Patton wouldn’t know anything. He hoped to every deity he didn’t believe in this was the case.

The door opened to the apartment, and Patton closed it with his back. He stared down at the floor. Damian’s heart pounded in his chest. For a while, Patton didn’t say anything.

A new text arrived. Damian glanced down to read it.

_Doc: I can make him think it was a bad dream if you need me to._

“Damian?”

Damian’s head snapped up as Patton said his name. Patton still didn’t look at him. He looked tired- well considering Patton woke up in the middle of the night and probably didn’t get to sleep until much later that was understandable. Patton’s eyes finally- slowly- made their way to Damian’s face. There was no signature smile, there was no light in his eyes, there was no peppy happy Patton that Damian so desperately needed right now. He looked like a mother disappointed in her child for eating the last cookie before supper.

Damian put his phone down. He held onto the counter for support. “Yes?”

“Please, _please_ be honest with me,” Patton said. His eyes stared into Damian’s soul, searching for any hope, searching for the truth, searching for the good inside, and Damian felt shame for every lie he ever told. Patton’s throat bobbed before he asked, “Are you okay?”

A long sigh left Damian’s lips. He swallowed hard and glanced down at the floor. He responded, “I’m fine, Patton.”

“Look at me!”

Damian’s head snapped up. Patton’s shout would’ve started his heart back up if it wasn’t dead for so long. Patton’s eyes were still cold, still judging, still picking his words carefully. Damian hated it. He wanted to crawl under the covers and hide.

“I’m looking,” Damian said to try and break the tension. It didn’t land, and Patton continued to stare. Damian mumbled, “If there's a trial I’d like a lawyer.”

Patton took a deep breath in. He leaned all his weight against the door, his feet sticking to the hardwood below him. He looked away from Damian, but it didn’t relieve any of the tension in Damian’s chest. He walked over to his bed, rolled into the blanket like sushi until his back faced Damian, and let out a long sigh.

For a while, the room held its breath.

“Patton-”

“I’m still tired. We’ll talk about this later, okay? I promise.”

Damian’s jaw shut with an audible click. He waited until Patton’s breaths evened out, and Damian ran a hand through his hair. He picked his phone back up and woke it from its sleep instead. His eyes read and reread the message over and over. Finally, he gathered his thoughts enough to respond.

_Me: He fell back to sleep. Maybe he’ll think it was all a bad dream on his own._

Damian waited for a reply.

_Doc: Okay. Let me know if you nedd me, okay? I know humans finding out is tough especially if it’s someone you care about._

_Doc: Looks like I nedd spell check uwu_

Damian blew a strong puff of air through his nose. He observed Patton sound asleep in his bunk. He hummed. Patton liked hot chocolate. Maybe if he bought Patton hot chocolate, it’d make him feel better. It might win Patton back on his side. It might make up for waking up to see your roommate covered in blood, which probably wasn’t pleasant for anyone, monster or human.

Damian grabbed his key from the dresser. He stole one more glance at Patton before locking the door and his problems inside.

\--

Okay, why were there so many different versions of hot chocolate? What ever happened to the days where people put powder in a pot of water and that was hot chocolate? Why couldn’t someone just tell him the difference between a triple-sweet hot chocolate and a french vanilla hot chocolate? Why did humans have to make the flavors so weird? Though, he was partial to the death-by-chocolate flavor.

Damian must’ve stood there for a while because the barista kept watching him. He could feel their annoyance radiating through him, but he didn’t care. He had to pick the perfect flavor for Patton. But which one?

“Wow, never thought I’d see you here,” a voice spoke beside him.

Damian let out a long sigh but didn’t remove his gaze from the side, “What do you want, Remy?”

“Yikes, babe, relax. I’m not here for you. I come here for the java,” Remy replied, also not taking his eyes off of the sign.

“You drink coffee?” Damian asked with a raised brow.

“Yeah, don’t you?”

“Not particularly. Tastes like cinders and water.”

“Yeaaah not gonna lie, I’m not crazy about the taste anymore, but it,” Remy paused, “it makes me feel normal again, ya know?”

Damian did look away this time. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Remy, who continued to stare at the sign like he said the most normal thing ever. Damian sighed and turned his attention back to the sign.

“Wouldn’t know. I forgot what that’s like.”

“Well, what did you drink back in your day? Sweet tea?”

“Water, mostly,” Damian responded, “when we could get some.”

“Yikes,” Remy hissed through his teeth. He stepped up to the counter, the barista lighting up when he leaned against the counter and sent a smile. Damian watched him work.

“Hey there, babe,” Remy said with a wide grin, “You got any good stuff today?”

The barista giggled, and they shrugged their shoulders. “That depends. What do you want?”

“Oh, the usual,” Remy replied. He lowered his sunglasses a tad bit and peeked over the rim, “only this time with some extra whipped cream. I need something sweet to remind me of you.”

The barista’s cheeks lit up, and they rung up Remy’s order. Remy paid for it and leaned his back against the counter, held himself up with his elbows, and casually slung one foot over the other in a reclined position.

“You still haven’t told me why you’re here,” Remy mentioned. 

Damian sighed and walked a little closer. He answered, “I’m here for… my roommate.” Remy peeked over his sunglasses and waggled his eyebrows. Damian’s cheeks lit up, “I’m not trying to romance him!”

“Sure, sure,” Remy replied with a head nod. He put his sunglasses back where they belonged. “You never seemed like the romance type anyway.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The blender whirred, drowning out Remy’s response. Whatever it was, it made Remy laugh. Damian, however, grimaced and bared his fangs.

“Easy there, babe. I don’t wanna fight,” Remy mumbled.

Damian lowered his lips when the barista turned the blender off. He ran a hand through his hair and chewed on his lip. “He saw me.”

“The barista?”

“No, my roommate. He saw me after I fed.”

“Double yikes. What’re you going to do? Did you tell Doc?”

“He knows, but I don’t want him to do anything yet. I… It’s not that I like him or anything, but it’s… nice to have a… friend.”

“Oof, was it that painful to say?” Remy put a hand to his chest. “And what about me? Aren’t I your friend?”

“Not by choice.”

“Triple yikes. Ya know, for that one, I’m not gonna help you out with your roommate.”

Damian blinked. “I didn’t ask-”

“Babe, plz, I know you can’t tell the difference between an espresso and a chai and a latte.” Remy took pleasure in how Damian’s face tried to comprehend each coffee blend. He added, “Alright, so I’m feeling a little generous for once. You should probably get him a cappuccino. You can’t go wrong with a good cappuccino.”

“Actually, he likes hot chocolate.”

“Ooooh, that makes this so much easier! Definitely get him the dark chocolate with sea salt caramel.”

Damian rose a brow. “Why?”

“Ya know, because if he’s a monster, it’ll tell you right away.”

Damian opened his mouth to hiss a reply, but the barista returned with Remy’s drink. Remy gave a sly smile and took it, humming as he read the number written on the side of the cup. He purred a quick “thanks, babe” and walked away from the stand. 

Damian watched him and growled under his breath. He didn’t want to _hurt _Patton. If Patton was a monster like him, he’d want Patton to tell him in his own way. He didn’t deserve to be outed like that. Damian’s eyes scanned over each of the hot chocolate names again, and he sighed through his nose.

“Hey, are you ordering or not?” the barista grumbled, their mood changed from Remy’s departure.

Damian contemplated baring his fangs to scare them, but he decided against it at the last minute. Instead, he responded, “I guess I’ll take a double fudge chocolate.”

The barista shrugged and rang him up. Damian waited for his order, and he mulled over about what Remy said. What would make him feel human again? He was dead for so long, it would almost be impossible. Not to mention, he didn’t exactly have a happy humanity. It was rather hard to grow up as a black man in the 1800s, even in somewhere as tame as Georgia. Still, every time he moved away from the state, he always wanted to come back. It felt more like a home than any other place he’d been.

Maybe that’s because it was where he died. His body wanted to be there to rest.

The barista tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, and Damian took the cup of hot chocolate into his hand. He sent what he hoped was a smile and walked away. The cup didn’t warm his cold skin. In fact, it almost burned. Burned like the dread in his gut. Burned like his first house. Burned like ice-cold hands holding his cheeks and praying he was still alive. Burned like the pain in his neck.

The walk to the dorms took too long and too little at the same time. He climbed the stairs to his room and stood outside the door. His key hovered over the lock, waiting for permission to enter. He took a deep breath in and out. He didn’t need to, but it calmed him in a strange kind of way. His hand shook. 

What was wrong with him? Just stick the damn key in! Damian squeezed his eyes shut. He forced the key into the lock and turned the handle.

Gentle breaths greeted him as he stepped inside. The pull to leave and protect himself twisted in his gut like a knife, but he forced his legs through the door. Patton still laid on his side, his back facing Damian. Turning away from him. Leaving him alone. Perhaps he was preparing Damian for the future-

No, Patton said no matter what was wrong, he’d listen. Damian had to at least give him a chance. Patton was like no other human he met, at least not for a long time, and he wasn’t even human.

Still, he didn't expect even someone like Patton to stay. 

Damian set the hot chocolate on the desk and plopped into the swivel computer chair. It hissed in protest. Damian grabbed onto the armrests to ground himself as his butt slid further and further. His spine rested against the seat, and the chair pushed against the desk. It wobbled under his weight. 

Wait.

All he could do was wait as the weight of his situation weighed on his mind.

At least Patton being asleep gave Damian time to think. 

He could gather up a fake story about how he got into a fight protecting some girl’s honor from a creeper and got a bloody nose. He didn’t realize it was bleeding until this morning.

He could make up that it wasn’t blood but barbeque sauce because he bit into an extra rare hamburger last night with some friends and was already hungover from drinking, therefore not cleaning himself.

He could fabricate that he was going to a Halloween party- like _really_ early- no, they were practicing painting his face for a Halloween party to make it look as authentic as possible, and it was all fake blood and he forgot to remove it before he stepped into the room.

Patton stirred on the bed. He rolled over onto his back, and Damian held his breath. Patton’s eyelashes didn’t flutter open. His heart stayed in the steady beat of REM sleep, the same with his breathing. Pale skin looked paler washed out by the late morning’s sunlight and almost made his skin glow like a divine being.

Damian sighed. Or, he could just tell Patton the truth and deal with the consequences for once.

Patton’s eyes opened thirty-seven minutes after Damian sat down. His eyes scanned the room before they fell on Damian. A gentle smile graced his face. However, the longer he stared at Damian, the farther that smile slipped away.

Damian stood up from his chair and grabbed the cup of now lukewarm hot chocolate. He set it on the nightstand beside Patton, like offering food to a scared animal, and backed away.

“Thought you might like some,” he mumbled.

Patton sat up, and two blankets pooled around his waist. He took the cup and gave a loving sniff. That smile returned.

“Aww, Damian, you didn’t have to buy me a hot chocolate,” Patton said, his voice heavy with sleep. 

Damian shrugged. He looked at the floor and responded, “I know you wanted to get some this morning, so I thought…” 

Patton waited for Damian to finish his sentence. He shifted his weight until he sat criss-cross with his back against the wall and cushioned by pillows and stuffed animals. He took a trying sip of his hot chocolate. The warm liquid soothed his nerves a tad bit.

“That was sweet of you,” Patton said at last.

Damian took a moment to decipher if that was a pun or not but decided it wasn’t. He nodded his head and forced a smile onto his face.

Patton put the cup down and leaned back in his spot. His gaze would have warmed the cooled chocolate. He placed a blanket over his lap and patted the empty space beside him in invitation, but Damian declined. It didn’t offend Patton, who nodded his head and brought the blanket over his shoulders.

“What… happened this morning?” he asked.

Damian froze. Did Patton really believe it was a dream? Was he testing Damian to tell the truth? Those eyes still held no judgment. They still trusted him, so maybe- no. No, he had to come clean. If Patton caught him in a lie, he might never trust him again, and somehow that hurt more than Patton finding out what he was.

“Well,” Damian started. He glanced at the floor, “what do you remember?”

Patton’s eyebrows pinched together. He tapped the cup of hot chocolate with his right index finger and exhaled all the air in his lungs. After a pause, he took a deep breath and spoke.

“I remember waking up and seeing you covered in,” Patton’s eyes flicked up to meet Damian’s face, “blood. That was blood, wasn’t it?”

Damian sighed. He grabbed his hair and looked away. It would’ve been so much easier if Patton thought this was all a dream. Why did he have to remember? 

Patton added, “I told you if you ever want to talk about it, I’d listen, and I meant it. Just please tell me the truth.”

Damian’s eyes looked straight into Patton’s own, and for someone who claimed he had no heart, Damian sure felt like his was aching. More than likely it was his nerves clenching his chest, but it was new territory. He hadn’t felt this stressed in a long time.

“I,” Damian started, but his throat locked up before he could say anything. He cleared it and tried again, “I might… have been lying to you.”

Patton forced himself to breathe evenly. Damian didn’t miss the spike in Patton’s heart rate. Patton asked, “About what?”

“About being… human,” Damian’s eyes glanced down at the floor. That was it. He couldn’t handle Patton’s scared or repulsed look.

“Oh,” was all Patton said.

“Oh?” Damian’s head snapped up. He almost felt… angry. But why? Isn’t this what he wanted? He continued, “Oh?! What do you mean, 'oh'?! Do you think I’m making this up? This isn’t a joke!”

Patton held his hands up in defense and stammered, “No, no, I believe you! It’s just… Virgil said that you’re- uh- you're not the first supernatural person I’ve run into, and I… I told you I’d listen.”

“What?”

  
“Yeah, I mean… I know at least three of them-” which wasn’t a lie- “so you’re not my first there, Damo.”

“So you don’t… _care_ that you could wake up to me sucking on your neck one morning?”

“I mean, yeah, but you haven’t done that yet,” Patton’s smile slipped a little. “Have you?”

“No.”

“Alright, then.” Patton’s smile returned. “I trust you. I mean, you haven’t hurt me, so why should it matter if your a vampire or a human?”

“Why should it matter?” Damian jumped onto his feet. “Why should it matter?! Because I can kill you, that’s why it should matter! You should be upset about this. You should be telling me to leave or sick Virgil on me or getting as far away from me as you can before I hurt you. You’re gonna get yourself killed, or worse _turned_ into one of us with that attitude!” Damian’s voice lowered. “Maybe I should get it over with and stop playing with my food.”

Damian bared his fangs and let out a hiss, making Patton jump. He stalked forward, using half of his normal speed, and towered over Patton. Patton scooted back a bit in his bed and held the hot chocolate closer to his chest. He watched Damian with wide eyes, fearful eyes, eyes that Damian for some reason felt relieved and hated to see. Maybe now Patton understood he could hurt him. Maybe now Patton would-

“I know you’re scared, Damo, but I’m not going to hurt you,” Patton whispered.

“Hurt me- Patton I’m gonna hurt you!” Damian snapped.

“No you wouldn’t, or you would’ve hurt me already.”

Damian growled and tore at his hair. He paced back and forth. “Patton, I’m gonna bite you! I’m gonna drain your blood when you’re sleeping and you’re going to die! Doesn’t that scare you? Doesn’t that bother you?”

“A little, yeah.”

“Then what’s your problem? Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Am I supposed to be?”

“Yes!”

“Why?”

“Because!” Damian slammed both his fists down on the computer desk, making Patton and the keyboard jump. The tension in his shoulders disappeared, and Damian fell to his knees. He let his forehead rest against the wood. “Because I’m a monster.”

The room held its breath, or at least, everything but Patton held its breath. Patton tried to keep up with his heartbeat and bring it back under his control. Nothing else moved. Nothing else dared to. Not even the clip-clop of footsteps on the wooden floor outside of their room infiltrated their space.

The bed shifted, but Damian couldn’t bring himself to look up. He squeezed his eyes shut. A warm hand placed itself on Damian’s shoulder, and he flinched. It moved away as if burned. After a few seconds, Patton’s gentle voice spoke to him.

“I don’t care what you are, Damian. You can be mad at yourself for being a vampire all you want, but you’re my friend, and I’m not going to leave just because you are a little different.”

Damian blinked. Oh. _Oh_. He wasn’t mad at Patton. He was mad at himself. He felt ridiculous from hiding something from someone who would accept him. He felt guilty for keeping it in the first place. He felt shame that Patton trusted him so much and he wasted it on lies.

Damian’s weak chuckle shook his shoulders, and his eyes stung. He stood up, his back still facing Patton, and let out a long sigh.

“What did I do to deserve you?”

Patton shrugged and replied, “Just lucky I guess.”

“As much as I’d love to talk about this more, I have to go to class,” Damian announced. He grabbed his hat off the desk and placed it onto his head.

“Okay, I promise I’ll be here to listen when you get back.”

Patton’s infectious smile brought one to Damian’s lips as well, and he nodded his head. He opened the door and locked it behind him. He pressed his back against the wood for a moment. Damian woke his phone and stared at the screen. He sent a quick message before putting it back into his pocket one last time.

Hopefully, Patton would forgive him for one more lie.

\--

He couldn’t believe he was have a casual twenty questions session about being a vampire with a human, but Damian wasn’t about to question it. After all, if anyone was going to accept him for being… _this_, it would be Patton.

“So, do you wear a lot of sunblock so you don’t burn up in the sun?”

“We don’t burn up, but we do get a rash.” Damian paused. “I think humans call it ‘sun poisoning’ or something like that.”

“How come I didn’t see your fangs before?”

“They’re retractable. They usually only come out when I need to protect myself or want to bite.”

Patton hummed. “Do you drink blood every night?”

“Not every night, no. Maybe every other night.”

“Is it human blood?”

“Humans taste better, but sometimes I like cows or pigs.”

“Do you,” Patton swallowed, “do you drink _all_ of their blood?”

“No,” Damian said with a laugh. “At least, I haven’t in a long time.”

“How does it work? You know, the whole biting thing? Is it like the movies?” 

Damian grinned. “I could show you.”

“Okay.”

His grin fell. “Patton, you’re not supposed to say yes.”

“I figured I’d bite.”

Damian groaned. He got out of the computer chair and sat beside Patton. For a moment, all he did was stare at the floor.

“I’m not really going to bite you. Virgil would kill me.”

“Oh,” Patton’s face fell. 

Damian snorted. What was that reaction? Did Patton really want him to bite? If Patton turned this into one of those crappy teenage monster boyfriend dreams, Damian was going to lose it.

Patton probed again, “Well, how does it work?”

“First, I lick the spot I’m going to bite. I have anesthetic spit.”

“Really? Oh! That means that it makes you forget, right?”

“That’s ‘amnesia,’ Patton.”

“Well then, I am-needs ya to explain that word.”

Damian blinked. Did he mix up the words just to make a pun? Still, he humored him and replied, “It’s when a part of your body goes numb, like… like you know when humans get their wisdom teeth out?”

“Oh, yeah, I had that happen to me.”

“When they make your mouth go numb, that’s what that is. Novacaine is an anesthetic.”

Patton nodded. “Okay, I think I get it now. Does the novacaine spit go into my body like a shot?”

Damian smirked and shook his head. Carefully, he picked up Patton’s wrist and cradled it in his hand. He glanced over at Patton, asking for permission. Patton nodded his head, and Damian swiped his tongue three times over Patton’s wrist. After about thirty seconds or so, Patton shivered.

“Wow, it works fast. I can’t feel my fingers. How long does it last?”

“It only lasts about ten minutes, don’t worry. Of course, the longer I lick it, the longer it lasts. My spit also stops your blood from clotting, which makes bleeding easier. That’s why I don’t bite anyone in a major artery.”

“Yeah, I bet that could be a major pain.”

“Especially if they die. That’s harder to explain nowadays.”

Patton’s expression fell. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Did you stop killing people because it’s harder to hide it?”

Damian sighed. He looked away, his hands squeezing together to relieve some of the tension in his muscles. “I’m not exactly… _proud_ of the way I acted when I was younger.”

“But you did it out of self defense, didn’t you?” Patton’s voice wavered. “I mean, you didn’t kill all those people on purpose, right? You didn’t know any better.”

Damian’s sad smile answered him, and he ruffled Patton’s hair. Patton didn’t pull away, but it was obvious by the frown he didn’t appreciate the touch. Damian brought his hands back into his own space.

“Never stop believing the best in people, Patton. Someone could use that one day.”

Patton’s smile infected him, and Damian’s stomach sickened. That was exactly what he saw happening to Patton one day.

“So,” Patton eagerly changed the subject, “was that you as the bat the other night, or was that a coincidence?”

“That was me.”

“Is your head okay, kiddo? You hit it pretty hard.”

“Don’t-”

“Must’ve been a huge _pane_.”

Damian fought to hide the smile. It wasn’t funny. It wasn’t.

Okay, maybe it was a little funny.

Damian shook his head, the smile shaking onto his face as well. He sighed through his nose and looked straight ahead. Patton sighed with him, and Damian rose a brow.

“Figures I’d find out right before the full moon,” Patton said. “Logan’s coming to pick me up later tonight.”

“Ah yes, your family get together. I’m well aware,” Damian said with a hum. He eyed Patton out of the corner of his eye. Patton didn’t smell like a werewolf. Patton didn’t act like a werewolf before the full moon. Patton didn’t find Damian repulsive for being a vampire, so what was the deal with him leaving the night of the full moon with a werewolf, and how was Damian going to find out without directly asking? 

“It’s… more than that,” Patton started.

Oh, apparently he didn’t even have to ask.

Patton continued, “It’s a long story, but, Logan got bit by Roman, who accidentally turned him into a werewolf. And then, when Logan changed- that’s the night you said I smelled bad- he kinda pulled me into the pack. I’ve been going to their shifts for the past two months. They really have a big pack.”

Damian snorted and nodded his head, “Well, that makes sense now.”

“It’s… a bit lonely sometimes though. The first shift, Logan clung to me like a lifeline, but when we started showing up at Roman and Virgil’s house, he started to hang out more with Roman than he did me.”

“Are they-”

“No, not that I know of, but he depends on Roman a lot to teach him about being a werewolf. Which is fine! I mean, it’s a lot to take in, and there isn’t exactly a book he can read.”

“I know that feeling,” Damian mumbled. He massaged his neck.

“Well, if Logan’s happy, that’s all that really matters to me.”

Damian blinked. The longer he stared at Patton’s smile, the more he wondered if there wasn’t something Patton was telling him. He rose a brow and asked, “But what about you?”

Patton blinked. “What about me?”

“Well, are you happy? If Logan doesn’t need you, then there’s certainly no reason for you to force yourself to these pack meetings.”

“I’m happy,” Patton protested, but even he knew it was a lie. He played with his fingers, “Well I mean, who wouldn’t be happy to play with puppies all night long.”

“Well, when you put it that way,” Damian responded. “But I mean, no one forces you to go, right?”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that at all. I promised Logan I’d always be there for him.”

“Even if it makes you miserable?”

“Yes.”

The solidarity of that statement was enough to make Damian sigh. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Patton to go. Patton was his own person. He just hoped Patton was doing it for the right reason.

Patton added, “I have a howling good time. My night really goes to the dogs. It’s _paws_-itively fun.”

That time, Damian did laugh.

\--

Since Patton didn’t have any classes, Logan drove by early to come pick them up. Patton offered to drive home, since he could already see the full moon fraying at Logan’s nerves, and Logan happily agreed.

Though, when Logan set eyes on Damian, his reaction was rather different than the first day they met. He constantly put himself between Patton and Damian, sometimes even growling when Damian got too close. It seemed to amuse Damian, who kept pushing his boundaries and seeing how close he could actually get. Patton’s nerves shot higher and higher. Damian was going to get bit at this rate, and who knew what would happen then.

“My, my, your brother sure does get possessive around you this time of month,” Damian commented. Logan returned it with a sharp glare.

“No, I think he’s just over-protective,” Patton said. He scooted over to give Logan some space, and Logan pressed back up against his side. He let out a long sigh.

“Protective, possessive, there’s not much difference,” Damian replied with a shrug.

“Can we leave yet?” Logan asked through strained teeth.

Patton glanced at his phone. He told Virgil to text him the moment he and Roman got out of class. He hoped it would be soon. He was starting to crack under the pressure in his dorm room.

“Not yet,” Patton mumbled in reply. Damian leaned forward to get a look at Patton, but Logan blocked his view to stare at the phone. He huffed. Annoying Logan was fun at first, but now he was getting annoyed.

“Alright, I’ll take a hint. I’ll go for a walk or something,” Damian said and stood up from his bed. Logan’s eyes never left him as Damian strolled across the room. Damian picked up his keys, twisted them around his finger and informed Patton, “Tell me when you leave so I can come back into _our_ room, because you know, you’re _my_ roommate.”

He didn’t miss the hairs on Logan’s neck bristle. He could leave on that note. With a wink, Damian closed the door behind him and locked it.

“How did you tolerate the last month with him?” Logan spat through clenched teeth.

“Oh, he’s not so bad once you get to know him,” Patton replied. He stood up, but Logan’s wrist on his arm pulled him back onto the bed. Patton gripped the sheets into his fists and sent a reassuring smile to Logan. “He hasn’t hurt me.”

The grip on Patton’s arm slacked, but Logan kept it there. Patton wondered if the skin bruised under Logan’s grip. For a while, all Logan did was stare at the door. Patton prayed his phone would alert him of a new message soon. He played with his lip between his teeth and took a deep breath in and out.

“So, what have you been doing while I was away?” Patton asked.

“Work, mostly,” Logan said with a shrug. Patton waited for him to continue, but even he knew he was wasting time. He took a deep breath through his nose and let it out in a long hum.

“Classes have been going pretty good for me. I even have one with Thomas.”

“That’s nice.”

“Yeah. It’s only English though, you know, because we both have to take it to graduate.”

“I’m well aware.”

Patton made a light pop sound with his lips. Logan flinched. Patton cursed himself for the sudden noise, remembering how high Logan’s hearing was now, especially right before the full moon.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. He got no reply back.

Thankfully his phone dinged and saved the conversation.

“Oh, they’re done,” Patton announced.

Logan stood up and straightened out his outfit. He mumbled, “Good, now let’s go home.”

Patton stood up behind him and made sure he had his roomkey in his bag. He let Logan out first, closed the dorm door behind him, and locked it. He caught Damian watching from down the hall, and offered a small wave. He didn’t expect one back. Damian’s ‘thumbs up for good luck’ was enough.

Logan and Patton walked out of the dorms and toward the Science wing where they’d find Roman and Virgil. The two twin brothers were heading out, Roman complaining about something while Virgil looked like he was ready to fall apart on the sidewalk. Patton ran toward them waving his arm, and the two of them relaxed a little on sight.

“Ready to go?” Patton asked.

“As long as you’re driving,” Virgil mumbled and eyed Logan over.

“Excuse me, but I am an excellently defensive driver,” Logan snapped.

“Now, boys, you can fight it out later,” Patton scolded. He took the car keys out of Logan’s hand and walked back toward their car. “Besides, we still have a few hours until the full moon, so who wants to stop and get something to eat?”

He met a chorus of approval from all three pack mates and giggled. 

\--

At some point during their drive, Logan and Virgil fell asleep in the car, leaving Patton and Roman to the silence of a Disney sing-along competition. While Patton envied when Roman reached the rather low notes, Roman got physically angry when Patton could reach the high tenor notes. Patton eventually decided to leave the sing along songs fall away to radio silence.

For about three miles, the two of them didn’t say a word to each other.

“So,” Roman said, if nothing more than to break the tension, “you and Damian seem to get along just fine.”

Patton nodded his head with a hum.

Knowing he wasn’t going to get a conversation out of that avenue, Roman tried again by asking, “What do you plan on doing tonight?”

“Well, um,” Patton paused. What was he going to do tonight, “I’ll probably just… be on my phone or take a nap with the pups I guess.”

Roman’s grin widened, “Ah yes, the triplets. They can be a bit of a handful, but Aunt Cora is sure thankful she has the best babysitter in town to watch out for them.”

Patton giggled. He added, “She still watches us though.”

“I’m sure in time she’ll grow to trust you more and more. She already does. They all do. You wove your way right into our wild hearts.”

The sentiment brought a wide smile to Patton’s face. He remembered why he liked to go now. It was like being adopted by a pack of wolves in the wild, only they were all in the living room instead of the woods. It wasn’t just Logan he showed up for anymore. He had another family that looked forward to him coming.

“Aww, and here I thought it was puppy love,” Patton joked. He caught Roman’s smile in the rearview window. The two of them drove in another bout of silence a mile long.

“Hey,” Roman started the conversation again, “you might not want to mention anything about Damian while we’re there.”

“Why not?”

“Werewolves and vampires don’t exactly have the best reputation of being friends.”

“Why’s that?”

Roman let out a long sigh. He caught Patton's eyes through the rearview mirror and released them just as fast. Patton rose a brow in interest.

“Well,” Roman explained, “A long time ago, when humans were first becoming the dominant species of the earth, werewolves and humans lived side by side. We were their protectors. You see, back then, we could shift whenever we wanted, not just during a full moon.”

“Why can’t you now?”

“It’s ancient magic. Legend says that a powerful witch granted the wish of a wolf pack to become the brethren of humans, to be their guardians, and she turned them into powerful half human and half wolf creatures. The humans practically worshipped them. In return for their protection, the humans gave them some of their food as a gift. It was a wonderful partnership.”

Roman grew quiet. Patton checked several times in the mirror for his continuation, but Roman’s thoughts went out the window and stared at the fast traveling landscape.

“Well, what happened?” Patton asked, his mind reaching a conclusion already.

“Vampires happened,” Roman growled. He rested his head against the window. “A horde of vampires attacked the town and ended up killing the human chief and our pack leader, and you know, there went our alliance. From that day on, humans hunted werewolves, and to protect ourselves, we stopped changing into wolves whenever we wanted. However, the witch’s magic built up inside us, and if we didn’t use it, it would kill us. That’s why we change every full moon and why we’re so… animalistic the week leading up to it.”

Patton sucked in a deep breath. “Couldn’t the witch take the magic away?”

“We tried to find her, but by then she was long gone. We had no idea if she had any surviving relatives or not to help, and it was too dangerous to stay in the woods with those humans anyway. So, we ended up moving as far away from home as we could get.”

“That’s so sad.”

“Well, not all legends end happy, unfortunately.”

Patton let out a long sigh. He kept his eyes on the road, though his mind still wandered to Roman’s story. Was his Aunt Alice a descendant of these people, and that’s why she was a monster hunter? Was he one of them too? Would he be sworn into a path of hunting down the pack he grew to love?

“Patton, the exit!”

Patton’s attention swerved back onto the road and into the turning lane. A horn blasted behind him, and the jolt woke both Virgil and Logan from their sleep.

Virgil’s head snapped about like a bird as he yelped, “What happened? Who did we hit?”

“No one,” Patton quickly confirmed. He squeezed the steering wheel so tight his fingers turned white. His face was just as pale.

Logan’s gaze shifted to Patton, and he took a deep breath. His hand reached over and patted Patton’s thigh. Patton’s shoulders relaxed, and he let out a long sigh.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” Patton mumbled.

“It’s not your fault,” Roman said behind him. Virgil shot him a glare, and the two brothers had a silent conversation in the backseat with their eyes.

Logan caught sight of the car behind them, who gave them quite a bit of space. He turned his attention back to the road signs.

“It’s quite alright. We’re nearly home,” he said.

“Thank god,” Virgil grumbled. 

“Oh, I can’t wait for Aunt Cora’s pumpkin spice pie,” Roman sighed in the backseat, “or her orange sponge cake, or her apple fritters, or her-”

“Stop, you’re getting drool all over the car,” Virgil interrupted. Roman’s high pitched whine of irritation and hand pat to his chest brought a grin to Virgil’s lips. 

“I am _not_ drooling!” Roman argued.

“But you were going to.”

Roman opened his mouth to speak, but he shut it soon after. He rested his forehead against the window, earning a snicker from Virgil, and resisted the urge to kick him.

“I would appreciate no salivation on my car, thank you,” Logan grumbled.

“Oh, come on, Logan. It’d be the icing on the cake for such a sweet ride.”

Logan resisted the urge to throw Patton out the window, simply because Patton was driving, and he didn’t want to get into a car accident.

The rest of the ride home took practically no time at all. Within a few minutes, they were all filing out of the car and ringing the doorbell to Roman and Virgil’s house. Their mother opened the door and flung her arms around both Roman and Virgil.

“Oh my boys!” she chirped. The two of them returned the hug. “Larry, get down here! The boys are home!”

“Hey mom,” Roman greeted, his voice strained from being squished.

She eyed the other two behind Roman and her face lit up. She let go of Virgil and Roman and said, “Oh, I know it’s only been a few hours, but come give me a hug Logey bear!”

Logan stiffened but didn’t say no. He knew resistance was futile, so instead he gave her two swift pats on the back with his hand, and she released him the minute he did.

“Oh, and Patton,” she said as she held her arms out wide. Patton smiled and practically rushed into her arms. She buried his nose into his hair. Two sniffs, then three, then four, and Patton started to wonder what was going on. “Oh, Patton dear, I think you need a bath. You smell like death.”

Roman and Virgil stiffened, and Logan watched her every move. Patton gave a nervous chuckle and wiggled out of her arms. 

She added, “I have a lavender bath bomb you can use.”

“You really don’t have to do that, Mrs. Lycaon.”

“Honey, how many times do I have to tell you, call me Dot, please.” She yelled over her shoulder, “Larry! Get the bathwater ready!”

“I’m in the kitchen,” her husband, Larry, called back.

“Oh, alright,” she mumbled. “I’ll do it. You boys just come on in and make yourself right at home, okay?”

“Thanks mom,” Virgil and Roman said at the same time, sounding like a stereo speaker. It was moments like that they remembered they were twins and frowned at each other.

Logan followed the other two in, followed by Patton at his heels. Dot closed the door behind her and headed up the stairs to the bathroom.

“I hope you boys are hungry for ham,” Larry called out as he wiped his hands on a paper towel, “because I’m starving.” The three werewolves practically perked up at the mention of food. Patton, however, started to feel sick.

Mrs. Lyca- Dot could smell Damian on him. Would the others smell him too? Would they cast Patton out of the pack for what their ancestors did?

No, he was being silly. They were part of his family. They wouldn’t do that to him.

Right?

The water turned on upstairs, and Dot came down the stairs with a purple and white spotted ball in her hands. She placed it in Paton’s hands and said, “If you need anything, just give a holler.”

“Don’t you mean a _howl_-er?” Patton asked.

Dot cracked a smile, and she guided Patton toward the stairs. She said, “I’ll have one of the boys bring your stuff up from the car and get your bed ready, okay? And don’t let the puppies chew my pillows up this time, okay?”

“I _feather_ not,” Patton responded. He climbed up the stairs and took a deep breath. The smell of the bath bomb in his hands did soothe him a little. Maybe if he stayed under the water for a while, Damian’s smell would wash away entirely. 

\--

Patton pulled himself out of the bath two hours later when he started to shiver from the cold. Their bath was practically a pool, so he didn’t mind staying in it for hours. It had jets and everything. If he had his choice, he’d never leave it.

Patton dried himself off and stared at his reflection. His blue eyes blinked at him, and he scrubbed the towel over his hair. When he finished, his hair stuck up in every direction. Patton giggled and smoothed it all back down into place.

A gentle knuckle knock called from the door, “Patton, you alright in there?”

“I’m fine, Virge,” Patton called back.

“Dad wants to know if you want any food.”

Patton paused. He replied, “Ah, no thanks, kiddo. I’m not all that hungry.”

“You sure?”

“Yep! Go ahead and _pig_ out on the rest.”

Virgil snorted. He replied, “Alright. Meet you downstairs. Just know the triplets have been asking for you for about a half-hour now.”

“Oh,” Patton replied. He remembered them arriving sometime after he got into the bath. The three of them thundered up the stairs and would’ve opened the door if Patton didn’t lock it. They whined and whimpered for him to come out until their mother chased them away and apologized for their manners.

Patton didn’t mind. They were only four, and Patton was practically a new toy every full moon.

Patton dressed himself in a loose fuzzy white sweatshirt with a big pink heart in the middle and blue sweatpants. He only wore them around the full moon, because the dog hair would set his dad into a sneezing frenzy. They were his softest pajamas, nice to cuddle up to, and warm too. Patton drained the bathwater and exited the bathroom. He made it down three stairs before the triplets caught sight of him.

“Patton! Patton!” they chirped. They thundered up the stairs. Patton was able to back up onto the second floor before they crashed into his legs. Patton cried out as he tumbled onto the ground. One latched onto his legs, another around his chest, and the third pulled up his glasses to kiss his cheek.

“Hi, nice to see you three again,” Patton said through his laughter.

“Girls!” he heard their mother snap from below. “Let poor Patton go.”

The girls’ heads all perked up at the same time, and their faces all pouted down at their mother.

“But mooooom-”

“No buts. He didn’t even make it downstairs for goodness sake.”

The three girls whined before they all released Patton and walked down the stairs. He followed soon after.

“Oh, I don’t mind being dogpiled every once and a while.”

The girls giggled, but their mother didn’t look as pleased. Patton cleared his throat and took a seat on the couch. The girls jumped up after him, one on his right, one on his left, and the other struggling to sit on his lap. Whether he wanted to or not, Patton was practically pinned for the next hour or so.

Not that it was the first time he was pinned by a werewolf.

“Aunt Cora,” Roman said as he poked his head into the living room, “did you want any wine before the shift?”

Cora waved him away and sat back on the rocking chair. “No, Roman dear, I’m trying to give up alcohol.”

“Oh okay.” Roman glanced over and caught sight of Patton on the couch. He snorted through his nose. “Wow, it didn’t take long for them to find you, did it, Mogli?”

“Not really,” Patton replied as of the girl on his lap, Anna, nuzzled her head under his chin. The other two, Cena and Rose, clung to his arm like he’d get up and leave them at any moment.

“So, Patton,” Cora spoke and rocked back on the chair, “you’re learning to become an educator, right?”

“I am,” Patton replied.

“How’s that going?”

“Oh, you know. It’s educational.”

The corner of her lips perked up, and Patton returned the gesture. She let out a long sigh through her nose and explained, “Because I’m thinking of having the girls homeschooled.”

“Oh?” Patton tilted his head to the side. “Any reason?”

“Well, I saw how much Roman and Virgil struggled in school, and… it’s so much different than when I went to school. Back then, you could stay out of school for three days and no one would bat an eye, but now, now they want a doctor’s note every time a child is sick. I can’t have my girls going to the doctor every month when there’s barely anything wrong with them, you know?”

“Well, Logan’s a doctor. Can’t he-”

“That could be considered malpractice,” Logan called from inside the kitchen. Patton’s head snapped over to the kitchen. He forgot they could all hear what they were saying.

“Oh,” was all Patton finished his sentence with.

Cora nodded her head. She replied, “Plus, it would be easier. You know what it’s like for us around the full moon. Our emotions are definitely set on maximum. I don’t want my girls getting into a fight and- heavens forbid biting them.”

“I see your point.”

“So, I was hoping you would help me teach them. I only want it to be people I trust, and since you’re already going into education, I figured you’d be a good candidate.”

“I’ll,” Patton paused, “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s fair. It is a heavy responsibility, but I know my girls like you, and I only want the best for them, as any mother would.”

Patton beamed at her compliment, and she sent him a smile back. The kitchen clock started to chime, warning them that the full moon was coming, and she stood up from her spot on the couch.

“Is it time?” Rose chirped.

“Mommy, what time is it?” Cena asked.

“It’s almost time, yes,” she answered. The three of them filed off of Patton’s lap and followed their mom into the kitchen.

Patton pulled his legs up onto the couch and hugged them. Now, the family would go down into the basement for their transformation. Now he waited. Patton hated sitting on the couch and listening to the sounds of the whole family going through the transformation. It was bad enough listening to Logan, but now he got to listen to nine people yelling out instead of one.

The grandfather clock behind him ticked the seconds away.

The first yelp came from one of the girls. Patton laid down on the couch and squeezed a throw pillow against his head. Theirs hurt him the most. He heard more, muffled and haunting. Patton bit his lip. However, he kept reminding himself it would soon pass. They’d all transform into werewolves completely unharmed, and they would come get him when they were done.

Thundering paws up the stairs caught Patton’s attention. He barely had time to sit up before three balls of gray fluff and pink tongues started licking at his face. Patton laughed and pushed their heads away.

“Aww, come on girls. I just got a bath,” he said through their licks. One landed in his mouth, and Patton attempted to spit out their germs.

“_Girls_!” their mother snapped from the door. Her loud growl preceded black fur with white patches around her muzzle, belly, and paws. “Leave Patton alone for heaven’s sake!”

The girls whimpered and hopped off the couch. They laid down on the floor as their mother approached. She nuzzled her head into Patton’s hand.

“I’m alright,” Patton said. She eyed him over before laying down on the rug. The girls continued to watch Patton, their tails thumping on the rug below him. Since they didn’t know how to speak telepathically yet, like Logan didn’t, they almost resembled really big puppies.

“Patton,” Virgil’s voice called next. He entered the living room. Logan followed behind him, caught Patton’s eye, and disappeared back into the kitchen. Patton’s heart fell.

“I’m here,” Patton mumbled.

Virgil hopped onto the couch next to him and flopped down at his side. He folded one paw into his chest while the other dangled over the side of the couch. His ear swiveled toward Patton before he explained, “Logan’s going to try and learn how to communicate with Roman again.”

“Okay,” Patton replied.

Virgil rested his head down on the couch. “I’m supposed to watch you while he’s gone.”

“Always vigilant,” Patton commented. Virgil didn’t respond. Patton pulled out his phone and noticed a new message from Damian.

_Damo: Hey, not worried or anything, but did you make it there ok?_

Patton typed a quick reply letting him know that they were safe and sound at the pack’s house. Patton pocketed his phone and leaned back on the couch. He sighed through his nose. Virgil sighed with him, and Patton ran a hand over his fur. Virgil’s scruff always felt fluffier than the others, like his hoodie meshed with him and became fur. Maybe it was Patton’s imagination. Maybe it wasn’t. Still, running his hand through Virgil’s fur calmed them both, so he tried to do it as much as he could.

Dot and Larry soon joined the rest of the pack in the living room, taking their respective spots as well. Dot started grooming her dark black fur while Larry's stark white fur practically glowed in the window's moonlight. 

“Everyone okay?” Dot asked.

Cora nodded her head and replied, “The girls are too.”

“Good,” Larry answered. He turned his head to Patton and caught sight of Virgil on the couch. Virgil huffed, and Larry almost seemed to smile, though Patton was sure that part was his imagination.

“So, how long were they your neighbors?” Dot asked, turning her attention to Cora.

“Oh, not long. I chased them out the best way I could,” Cora responded. Her head rose proudly. “A few threats and they were packing for the hills before they could even take a bite.”

“Gosh, you’re braver than I am,” Dot commented.

Patton looked between the two female wolves, his eyebrow raised.

“Drama,” Virgil mumbled, sensing his unease. “Just drama.”

Cora snapped her attention to Virgil with a wrinkle in her muzzle. She growled, “It wasn’t just drama. They could’ve hurt my babies!”

Virgil didn’t respond, but the comment caught Patton’s interest.

“What happened?” Patton asked. Virgil’s head turned to him, warning him of something, but Patton couldn’t figure out what.

Cora growled, and she turned her head away. Her girls played innocently on the floor with each other, their boredom overpowering their will to lay still like the rest of the pack. She watched them for a moment before she replied, “Vampires.”

The whole room held its breath. Patton stiffed, and Virgil pressed his fur into Patton’s side. If his aunt noticed, she didn’t say anything.

“Bloodthirsty monsters,” she added, “thought they could move down the block from us and get away with it.”

Patton’s heart ached. He asked, “But were they bothering anyone?”

“Vampires don’t just move into your neighborhood to have a polite conversation,” Cora responded. “They swoop in and make a mess, then the humans come looking for answers, and then they come looking for us. I wasn’t about to have them threatening the safety of my kids.”

“Now, Cora, Patton doesn’t know about vampires,” Dot said and glanced up at him. “He doesn’t know what they did to you, or to us. That’s not exactly something they teach in school.”

“Roman might have mentioned something about a legend on the way over,” Patton mumbled. Virgil’s ear swiveled over to him.

“Then you know how they took everything from us,” Cora continued, “how they charmed their way right under the human’s noses and then betrayed them.”

“Not… really,” Patton responded.

The story seemed to catch the puppies’ attention, who stopped to watch their mother curiously. Cora looked up at Virgil and asked, “Would you take the girls out of the room? This isn’t exactly a story they should hear.”

Virgil hesitated, but his aunt asked again, and Virgil reluctantly hopped off the couch. He gave Patton a wary look. Then, he and the girls disappeared out of the living room and up the stairs, the puppies yipping questions Virgil didn’t answer.

Cora waited until they were out of sight to start her story.

“At the time when we humans and werewolves lived in peace, a new monster started to arise. They were cursed by the same witch we were enchanted with from what I was told. They swooped in at night and started to act friendly. At first, we thought nothing of it. They didn’t harm the humans or us. In fact, some of them stooped so low as to become friends with them.”

Her tone shifted as she growled, “Then, in the middle of the night, they turned on the humans, just like that. They didn’t care if it was human or werewolf they killed. We didn’t do anything to them, and they turned on us. I haven’t trusted a flea sucker since.”

“Gosh,” Patton said under his breath. “That’s awful.”

“You haven’t seen any walking around campus, have you?” Cora’s fur rose. “I don’t want any of them getting after you or my nephews.”

Patton’s mouth opened, but his throat locked up. He responded, “No, I… I haven’t.”

“Good, because if I ever find one of them after my pack, I’ll tear their throat out and bathe in their black blood.”

“Ewww,” Dot shrieked from the rug. “Cora, please-”

“Sorry, sis, but it’s true.”

Larry’s tail twitched behind him as he responded, “I’m sure the boys are smart enough to stay away from vampires.”

“Doesn’t matter. They can smell us. The minute they catch on to Virgil and Roman being a werewolf, that’ll be it. Those boys won’t stand a chance.”

“But they can’t be all bad,” Patton objected. A sharp snap of Cora’s head and a growl locked Patton’s voice in his throat.

“Oh, but they are. Vampires don’t change. There’s no humanity left in them.”

“But what if they wanted to change? What if they didn’t even hurt any humans?”

“Patton,” Dot warned, “it’s a nice thought, sweetie, but-”

“They’re monsters.”

The phrase stiffened Patton’s body. His anger flared up in his chest, but he swallowed it back down. Cora must’ve noticed it, because she rose to her paws. She stood a few inches away from Patton, her golden eyes staring straight into his soul. Dot and Larry stood as well, keeping a close eye on their packmates.

“You don’t honestly think they’d be worth trusting, do you, Patton?” Cora asked, her voice strained.

Patton’s eyes shifted from Cora to Dot and Larry. The other two seemed ready to jump to his defense but hesitated until something physical happened. Patton would’ve swallowed if his mouth didn’t dry out. 

“I… don’t know,” Patton responded.

“Well then, let me make myself clear. If you befriend one of those vampires and endanger my pack, I’ll tear you apart with them.”

“Cora, that’s enough,” Larry snapped.

Cora didn’t back down. Dot gently pushed her head into her sister’s shoulder and guided her away from Patton.

“Now, now, I’m sure Patton didn’t mean anything by asking questions. You don’t learn unless you ask, right? And he’s probably getting tired. He doesn’t stay up all night like we do, so let’s just forget the conversation happened and move on, okay?”

Cora’s eyes stayed on Patton for a moment longer, but she let him free. Patton’s breath left with her. He tried to catch it again the best he could.

“Go get some rest, Patton. I’m sure you’ve had a long day,” Larry encouraged. Patton nodded. He retreated up the stairs and onto the second floor.

No wonder Virgil hated Damian so much. No wonder Roman froze. No wonder Logan growled every time Damian got near him. It was engraved into them that all vampires were dangerous, bloodthirsty creatures. Maybe they were bloodthirsty, but Patton had been living with Damian for the past month, and he’d been okay. Damian was okay.

Right?

Patton opened his door, and the puppies yipped and brushed into his legs, eager to be pet. Virgil kept his eyes trained on Patton, and Patton sent him what he hoped was a smile.

“Now you get it,” Virgil responded, “why you shouldn’t be friends with Damian.”

Patton’s smile faded away. He nodded and let out a long sigh. Virgil brushed up against his hip, and he nosed Patton’s hand before giving it a gentle lick.

“I’m a little tired, so I think I’m going to go to bed early, okay, kiddo?”

“Yeah,” Virgil mumbled. He herded the puppies out of Patton’s bedroom and caught one last sight of Patton before disappearing down the stairs.

Patton flopped down onto the bed Dot made up for him. He wrapped himself up in a blanket and buried his head into the pillow. For a moment, all he did was lay there in silence.

Patton’s phone vibrated. He picked it up, and his stomach dropped like lead. Patton opened the message and read and reread it.

_Damo: Good, because I’d hate for anything to happen to you._

_Damo: I never sent that. Someone grabbed my phone._

Patton swallowed hard. He put his phone on the nightstand and curled into a ball. What was he going to do? He didn’t want to stop being friends with Damian over this, but if Damian was going to get hurt by the pack, was it worth it? He couldn’t be selfish like that. Damian’s safety came first. But how would he tell him? He just told Damian this morning he accepted him, and now he was going to say he had to stop being friends?

Patton put the pillow over his head and let out a long sigh. He tried to get some sleep, but his thoughts kept him awake.

Tomorrow was going to suck.

\--

Patton woke up to three lumps on his blanket, and he pulled the blanket over his head. Hopefully soon, Cora would figure out her girls were missing and come get them before Patton had to try and navigate his way out of the room with his eyes closed. He chose to scroll through his phone and send a message to his parents while huddled under there.

“Oh, Patton, I’m so sorry,” Cora said as if on cue.

“It’s fine,” Patton called out from under the blanket. “I didn’t see anything.”

Cora started carrying the girls out of the room one by one. When she finished, Patton poked his head out of the blanket for fresh air and stared up at his ceiling. Cora returned in the doorway, her face pulled into a frown and staring straight at Patton. Patton pretended to send a smile back.

“I’m sorry if I scared you last night,” Cora mumbled.

“It’s okay. I know you’re just looking out for your pack,” Patton replied.

Cora sighed. She sat on the edge of the bed and folded her fingers together. “But you’re part of my pack too, and I shouldn’t have said what I did. We were supposed to protect humans, after all.”

Patton squeezed the blankets into his hands. He looked down at the bedsheet, and let out a long sigh. 

“And I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have pushed you,”

Cora grew silent at that. She responded with, “Just promise me you’ll stay away from vampires, if not for Roman and Virgil’s safety, for your own, okay?”

Patton glanced up at her. He gave a short nod, and she patted his knee. With that, Cora walked out of the room and into the hallway. Patton wondered if he should take a shower this morning. Even with his two-hour bath, he felt dirty. Maybe it was all the lying he’d done recently.

“Breakfast is ready!” Larry called from downstairs. 

Patton heard a few eager feet padding down the hall, each one happily chirping about scrambled eggs and bacon. He wondered if he should get dressed or go down in his pajamas. After a few minutes, he decided to stay comfy and tiptoed down the stairs.

The whole pack was at the dining room table when he arrived. There was an empty seat sandwiched between the triplets, and Patton squeezed in.

“So, did you sleep okay?” Roman asked.

“Of course,” Patton responded. He caught Virgil’s questioning glance out of the corner of his eye but ignored it. 

“So, who’s driving you boys back to school?” Larry asked.

“I am,” Logan said as he took a sip of his tea. “Roman refuses to pay the parking fee.”

“Hey,” Roman said as he puffed out his chest, “I’m a broke college student and it’s a crime that I have to pay to park when I already pay so much.”

“I told you colleges were nothing more than a money-grabbing scheme,” Virgil mumbled behind his cup. Roman sent a glare, and Virgil shrugged it off. “It’s the same with the medical department.”

“Okay,” Dot said and clapped her hands together, “no politics at the table, Virgil. It’s breakfast time.”

Virgil slouched in his seat and poked his egg with his fork.

“Oh, and Patton, my offer still stands,” Cora said, “you think about it and get back to me on the next full moon, okay?”

“About what?” Logan asked.

Patton shifted in his seat and responded, “Cora asked if I’d privately teach the girls at home.”

“Homeschooling,” Logan commented. “Probably the best route so their classmates don’t face their irrational anger.”

Roman didn’t miss the way Logan’s eyes flickered to him, and his neck hair bristled. He jabbed a fork in Logan’s direction as he growled, “It was just one time! I never bit another person in my lifetime.” 

“What are you talking about? You bit me tons of times,” Virgil objected.

“Yes, but you’re my brother, and chances are, you deserved it.”

“Boys. Breakfast,” Dot snapped.

“Yes mom,” they both said in unison once again. A disgusted look passed between them like salt.

\--

“Well, it’s about time you got back,” Damian’s voice called from the top bunk. “How was your little night under the full moon?”

“Oh, uh,” Patton dropped his bag off at the door as he said, “It was nice.”

“It was nice,” Damian mimicked. “I can imagine. Nothing like several dogs all crammed into the same place. I bet it smelled wonderful, like a zoo on a hot day.”

“Aww, it wasn’t so bad,” Patton replied. He collapsed onto his bed and let out a long sigh, “but I sure am tired.”

“I bet.” Damian peered over the side of the bunk. His hat fell off and flopped onto the floor, and Patton giggled. It brought a smile to Damian’s face as well. He flipped off the bed and landed on the ground without a sound. “So, I’m assuming you’re going to be boring and take a long nap?”

“Um,” Patton squeezed his pillow in his arms. “I mean, I could.”

Damian shrugged. “Do what you want. I’m going to get something sturdier to prop the window open. Something that isn’t wood.”

“Well, I know that ruler was old, but _wooden_ you think some wood would be okay?”

“There was enough wood in that sentence for a lifetime. Besides, if a piece of wood snaps and just so happens to make its way into my chest…”

Patton flinched. “Oh, so I guess stakes really do work on vampires.”

“Well, legends do have some truth to them."

Patton swallowed, thinking about the legend he learned yesterday. He forced a smile and said, “Well then, the stakes are really high.”

Damian sighed through his nose and shook his head, then grabbed his key off of the computer desk and headed toward the door.

“If you need anything, just call me,” Damian said. Patton flashed a thumbs up, and Damian closed the door behind him.

As soon as Patton was sure Damian left, he squeezed the pillow tight and buried his face into it. How was he supposed to tell Damian they weren’t supposed to be friends anymore? Did Damian even know about the legend? Is that why he enjoyed annoying Virgil so much? Patton took a deep breath through the feathers and sighed through his nose.

Either path he took, he was upsetting someone. If he stayed with Damian, he was betraying the trust of his pack. If he left Damian, then he was going back on his promise to trust Damian after he told him his secret. No matter what he did, he had to lose someone. Why couldn’t there be a way to keep them both without lying?

Patton sighed. He’d make this choice later when he was more awake.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, who will Patton choose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 21,643
> 
> Warnings: blood, gore, injury descriptions, vomiting, poisoning, cursing, sexual humor, sexual discussions, heartbreak, relationship meddling, lying, miscommunication, ghosting, eating, slavery mentions, death mentions, parental death mention, non-con sex mention, alcohol mention, drunk mention, arguing, genocide mention, bats, spiders, one Remus mention that goes nowhere, more bad puns, you’re still gonna have a bad time reblogging this on mobile because it’s so long

The next week, Patton’s life traveled by the same as it had before. Sometimes he’d have lunch with his friends, sometimes he’d come home with so much homework he stayed up until three am, and sometimes he just stayed home and slept.

One night, he stayed up late enough to see Damian leave to go eat. Even if he wanted to go to sleep after work, he couldn’t. Instead, he stayed at his computer and messed around on social media. 

Gentle squeaking caught his attention. Patton looked to the window. The little brown bat that crashed into their window before flew in and flapped around his head. Patton turned in the swivel chair and smiled as he watched it fly around in circles.

“Well, hey there,” Patton greeted as the bat continued to circle, “Kiddo, if you don’t stop that, you’re going to drive me batty.”

The bat swooped down, and Patton ducked on instinct. He laughed, knowing Damian was upset about the joke but unable to say anything. Or maybe he could and just wanted to dive-bomb Patton. Either way, the bat stopped flapping its wings and landed on Patton’s hair with a gentle plop.

For a moment, tiny wings wove their way through Patton’s hair. Little claws scraped his scalp as they tried to find a place to grip. Patton stayed as still as possible.

“Do you like my new shampoo?” Patton asked with a smile. “It’s lavender scented. You could stop working so hard and smell the flowers.”

The bat stopped moving. It took a deep breath in and let it out into Patton’s hair. Patton yawned through his laugh. The bat didn’t move for a few seconds, so Patton went back to work on his social media.

The two of them sat together on the computer like that for at least fifteen minutes until Patton’s yawns came thirty seconds apart. The bat slipped off the back of Patton’s head. Patton yelped, and he watched as it flopped onto the floor. Patton turned in his chair. Bones and skin meshed together as fur fell onto the floor.

Damian stood tall and proud in the middle of the floor, and unlike the wolves, he didn’t return naked. He wore some sort of tight black outfit, the same one Patton realized that Damian’s jacket covered the night Damian came home with a bloody mouth. Speaking of bloody mouth, Damian’s face was completely clean. Did he go out to eat or just for a midnight stroll?

“You really should get some sleep,” Damian said.

Patton was about to object, but he yawned on cue. Damian chuckled and pushed the rolling computer chair over to the bed. He dumped Patton forward, earning a surprised squeak from Patton.

“But I’m not in my pajamas yet,” Patton objected.

Damian pushed Patton’s legs onto the bed. “It’s three in the morning. Might as well stay dressed now.”

“My first class isn’t until noon.”

Damian rolled Patton up in a tight cocoon of blankets. “Then you should be able to get plenty of sleep.”

Patton wiggled but very much couldn’t move. Damian lifted Patton's head and put a pillow under it. Patton tried one last time to object. “What if I have to go to the bathroom?”

“You don’t,” Damian said. He eyed Patton over and placed one of his stuffed animals against the roll of blankets. “Now, go to sleep.”

Patton couldn’t do anything but send a childish pout. Damian chuckled and asked, “Do you need a kiss goodnight?”

Patton paused, and he replied, “Well, I wouldn’t mind.”

Damian’s grin fell. He eyed Patton over, trying to figure out if he was serious or not. Patton smiled back at him like a child eagerly waiting for their parents to plant a kiss on them. Damian rolled his eyes. His smirk returned as he landed a light kiss on Patton’s forehead.

“Now, go to sleep,” Damian scolded.

“Okay,” Patton said with a yawn. “Night Damian.”

“Dream of bedbugs, Patton.”

\--

With the autumn air now chilling everyone into that special October mood, Patton wore his cat hoodie around his body more than around his neck. He snuggled into the soft wool lining inside and let out a content sigh. His backpack thunked on his shoulders as he bounced along the path.

Patton spied the tree he loved to sit under. He and Thomas were arranging to meet up as they always did on a Wednesday morning and have lunch together, right before they went to English class. It was nice to hang out with someone… normal. That wasn’t the word Patton wanted to use, but ‘human’ sounded too weird. And, of course, Thomas was anything but normal, but Patton wasn’t here to argue about word choice.

Someone bumped into Patton’s shoulder and took Patton’s thought with them. Patton turned on a heel and said, “Oh, I’m so sorry-”

“Nah, s’okay babe. I wasn’t really watching where I was going.”

Dark sunglasses reflected Patton’s shocked expression, and the stranger’s grin widened. They continued, “Well, if it isn’t the cutie from the stairs.”

“Um, hi,” Patton responded and sent what he hoped was a polite smile. “Nice to see you again.”

They rose a brow over their sunglasses, and their lopsided grin opened to ask, “You ever consider that first date yet, Pattycakes?”

Patton’s cheeks flushed at the nickname. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He cleared his throat and tried again, “Uh, not really. I’ve had a lot going on.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. Patton at least praised that part of his mind for functioning. The other 95% was too busy with gay thoughts.

“Well,” they said with a shrug, “guess that answers my question then. See ya around.”

The stranger turned on their heel. They flashed a peace sign over their shoulder and continued with a quick “later” as they headed toward the science building.

Patton’s heart panicked. He leaped forward and grabbed onto the stranger’s shoulder. They turned, their eyebrow and lips quirked into a bemused expression.

“Um, can I help you?” they asked in a suave tone.

Patton let go and shoved his hands into his pockets. He shouldn’t go grabbing strangers without permission, but apparently the manners section of his brain wasn’t connected.

“Ah, well, it wasn’t-" Patton cleared his throat, “just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean I haven't thought about… you.”

“Oh? You have, have you?” they turned and faced Patton. Apparently personal space meant nothing to them either, because they stopped right in front of Patton, their hot coffee breath rustling Patton’s hair. 

Patton swallowed his tongue. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but no words escaped. He shut his jaw, aware of how flushed his face was right now, and nibbled on the tip of his lip.

The stranger let out a long sigh and said, “Are you aware of, like, how cute you are, or is that just natural?”

“Huh?” Patton managed to squeak out.

The stranger leaned down close to Patton’s ear. Their breath tickled Patton’s neck. Patton shivered, but he hoped he could blame it on the Autumn chill. No one would probably believe him, but he could try. He anticipated the words that would spill from the stranger’s lips yet didn’t want them all at the same time. His nerves must be choking all the oxygen from his brain, because his body didn’t respond to any of its signals.

“How about we meet up this Saturday. I’ll let you pick the place.”

“I-”

“Well, hello there, Patton.”

Patton noticed the stranger stiffen at the sound of the new voice. Patton, however, got a thrill of excitement and spun around to greet them.

“Hey, Emile,” Patton said and waved his nerves away. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“It has, hasn’t it?” Emile replied. 

“What do you want, Emile?” the stranger asked and folded their arms against their chest.

Emile’s smile disappeared as his attention turned to them, and he cleared his throat. “Shouldn’t you be getting to class?”

“You’re not my maker.”

The sentence brought a scowl to Emile’s face, one that Patton never saw on the calmer senior before. It didn’t seem to phase the stranger, who casually took a sip of the coffee in his hand. Patton wondered what brought on that expression. Maybe they were rivals? Maybe they were lovers? Either way, there was a history, and Patton swallowed every question he had down his throat before they spilled out.

“Besides,” they continued as they wrapped an arm casually around Patton’s shoulder. “I think my plans for a Saturday night are related to Chemistry.”

Patton and Emile both stiffened. While Patton’s face blushed red with excitement, Emile’s face scrunched with fury. He stormed up to the stranger, who didn’t so much as flinch.

“Can I talk to you?” Emile said though a clenched jaw. His eyes flashed to Patton. “Alone.”

“Yeah, sure,” they said with a shrug. Patton was sure Emile would reach up and grab them by the ear to drag them away like an angry parent. Instead, he grabbed onto their wrist and pulled them toward the science wing. The stranger called over his shoulder, “I’ll see you around, Pattycakes.”

Patton watched them leave even though he was eager to follow. He knew he shouldn’t follow. Whatever was going on between the two of them was none of Patton’s business. However, he was rather curious as to what Emile was so upset about. And besides, he didn’t give the stranger the answer to his question. Besides, if he said yes, maybe he’d finally figure out their name.

Against Patton’s better judgment, he followed them. They snaked past the science building and headed off into a less populated area of the campus. Patton had to run to keep up with them. How did they move so fast? He struggled to keep his breaths even and wondered if this was all really worth it.

“You can have anyone but him,” Emile’s voice echoed.

Patton hid behind the building. He put his hands on the back of his head to catch his breath better.

“Why? Did you already claim him? Is he your boy toy?”

“Remy!”

“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you don’t have one night stands with strangers. A growing boy’s gotta eat.”

Oh, so his name was Remy. Looked like Patton didn’t have to wait until the first date after all. Patton peeked around the building and caught sight of Emile pacing. Remy casually leaned up against a tree, watching the nervous senior pace back and forth.

“I’m telling you, Rem, lay off him.”

“Why? It’s not your business who I choose to snack on.”

“You don’t understand,” Emile stopped his pacing and faced Remy. He explained, “I know his brother, okay? He’s been a friend of mine for a long time, which means I’ve known Patton for a while now. You can’t bite someone like Patton.”

“Why not?”

“Reasons, Remy. For one, if you become his friend, it’s gonna make things more complicated later on.”

“Well, shouldn’t that stop accidents from happening if you care about the person?”

“You know that isn’t true.” Emile crossed his arms.

Remy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He let his head rest against the tree and stared up at the clouds. Or, at least, that’s the way his head pointed. Where he looked stayed shaded in his sunglass’s shadow. 

Emile continued, “I’m telling you that because I know Patton. He’s… he’s moral and accepting and probably doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He's like Finn from Adventure Time."

"You still watch that?" 

Emile ignored him and continued, "Finn is willing to do anything in his power to help others, which often gets him into trouble. In fact, there's this one time where-" 

"Yo, no spoilers. Some people haven't watched that yet."

Emile sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Anyway, you're the Marceline to his Finn. When you're together, you don't think of the consequences. You just think about fun."

“Sounds like the perfect toy.”

“Will you take this seriously for five minutes, please?”

"Says the man using cartoon metaphors.”

“I’m asking you to try.” Emile clapped his hands together in front of his nose and took a deep breath. He exhaled and rested his fingertips against his forehead. “I’m telling you this because Patton is really easy to get attached to. Before you know it, you’ll be friends with him, and then who knows where that will go. I saw the way he looks at you. Do you even feel the same way about him?”

Remy shrugged. “I barely know the kid. All I know is he’s cute.”

“Exactly. That’s all he knows about you too, but he’s open-minded enough to allow you to get close to him.”

“Score.”

“Not score. Anything but score.”

“You know, you sound like you could use a good fuck, Doc. When was the last time you had-”

Emile held up his hand, stopping Remy’s line of thought. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “Please, I’m still not used to this generation’s free use of open sexual conversation.”

“Oh, this is nothing. You should’ve seen California in the 60s. It was wild. I never got so many quick meals in my life.”

“Stop. It’s time to stop.” Emile took a step back. He adjusted his sweater vest and tie, much in the manner that Logan did when he was trying to be serious, and let out a long sigh. “I’m not going to convince you to leave Patton alone, am I?”

Remy shrugged. “Probably not.”

Emile sighed. He started walking away, and Patton ducked farther into the building’s shadow. From his hiding spot, Patton heard Emile continue, “Just promise me you’ll be careful around him, okay? Don’t go breaking his heart.”

“I couldn’t if I tried,” Remy finished.

The two walked away from their conversation, leaving Patton in the shadows of the building and half in the dark. Something was going on with them. All that talk about this generation and the sixties and- there’s no way the two of them should’ve been that old.

Patton held his breath. Wait, could they be something supernatural too? How many non-humans were at this campus, anyway? Was Patton the only human? Did he somehow accidentally apply for some sort of monster school or something?

He checked his phone. Thomas was probably waiting for him at the tree already. They were supposed to meet up ten minutes ago. If he hurried, he could make it before Thomas started to get worried.

Patton’s backpack thumped against his back as he ran. He continued to replay the conversation he wasn’t supposed to hear in his mind. He knew he shouldn’t have been eavesdropping. Obviously he heard something he shouldn’t have. Patton shook his head as if the thoughts would fall out of his ears. He had too much to worry about with Damian and his pack to worry about Emile and Remy now.

\--

Damian flipped the page in his book as the door to the dorm opened. He didn’t have to glance over the top to recognize that scent.

“So, you met Remy, huh?” Damian asked.

Patton froze in the doorway. He turned around, an innocent smile on his face, and said, “Who’s Remy?”

“Just a minor annoyance of mine,” Damian explained as he went back to reading.

“Oh." Patton sat at the edge of the bed. He let out a long sigh, and Damian rolled his eyes. He tried to read, but the breathy sounds Patton made under the bed were starting to grate on his nerves.

“Please tell me you’re not in love with him,” Damian mumbled.

Patton’s nervous laugh told everything. He asked, “What makes you think that, kiddo?”

“You’re sighing every ten seconds. Either someone’s on your mind or you’re having a hard time breathing.”

“Am I… that obvious?”

Damian snorted through his nose. “Only to me maybe.”

Patton shuffled underneath the bed. His muffled voice suggested his face found a pillow. He asked, “What am I going to do?”

“Well, you can’t tell him you like him.”

“Why not?”

Damian paused. He wondered if this was his secret to tell. However, he knew Remy, and he knew that Remy would seduce his way right into Patton’s pants then leave him wondering in the morning if he did something wrong. Not only that, but he didn’t want to get blamed for the bite marks that would inevitably show up on Patton’s shoulder.

“He’s not the relationship type,” Damian decided to settle on. That was the safer answer, right?

“What do you mean?”

Apparently not.

“Well,” Damian sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You do know about the birds and the bees, right?”

“Aww, I love bees!” Patton chirped. “I find them _bee_-lightful.”

“Are you messing with me right now?”

“What’s wrong? Didn’t that joke fly?” Damian smacked his face with his book. His frustrated growl made Patton laugh. Patton continued, “I’m Ace not innocent.”

“So… I’m not going to ask what you know. I really don’t want to know. But you know what one night stands are, right?”

“Of course! I have one right by my bed.”

“You are absolutely terrible.” Damian paused. “Well, Remy’s a one night stand kinda guy. He’s not into relationships or anything. In fact, the only reason he really talks to anyone is because he wants sex from them.”

Patton stayed silent for a while. Damian put his book off to his right and leaned over the side of the bed. Patton’s face peeked out of the pillow, his eyes staring at something unseen across the way. He hugged the pillow more so to his chest than his face now, and he laid on his side with his legs flush against the pillow’s edge. His heartbeat started to weaken. For a moment, Damian felt bad for him.

“So, he doesn’t really like me?” Patton whispered into his pillow.

“Probably not. Sorry I had to be the one to break your heart.”

Patton let out a light laugh. “Oh no, it’s okay, kiddo. I’m glad you told me.”

“Good. Now, why don’t we forget about Remy and get some ice cream or something?”

Patton laid completely still. He sighed through his nose and buried his face into his pillow again. “No thanks. I’m a little too tired for ice cream.”

Damian shrugged. “Alright, suit yourself.”

After observing Patton for a moment longer, he flipped right-side up on his bed again and picked up his book. He made it halfway down the page before a choked breath caught his attention. Damian stilled. The telltale sniffles followed afterward, and he snapped his book closed. He heard Patton’s sharp breath below him and jumped over the side of the bed without a sound.

Patton’s sharp breaths cried into his pillow. For a moment, Damian felt like he had a heart again. He sat on the edge of Patton’s bed and put a hand on Patton’s thigh. Patton shivered and shifted so Damian’s hand moved. Ah, right. A dead, cold hand probably wasn’t as comforting as Damian thought.

“Hey,” Damian’s voice tried to be as gentle as possible. “You’ll get over him, trust me.”

“I-I’m not ups-upset about him,” Patton responded. “I didn’t e-e-even know his name.”

“Don’t lie. I know heartbreak when I see it.” Damian heard Patton sniffle and take a shuddering breath. He continued, “I’m not shaming you for liking him. Remy is really good at charming people, especially when they feel alone. It’s like a sixth sense of his.”

Patton stayed quiet. His voice whispered into the pillow, “Is that why Emile was mad at him?”

“Emile?” Damian snorted. “No. Emile was probably trying to protect you from him because that’s just how Emile is.”

“Oh.” Patton’s head peeked out from under the pillow. “You know Emile too?”

“Very well,” Damian responded.

For a while, a thick silence settled between the two of them. Patton blinked the rest of his tears away and watched Damian at the edge of his bed. Damian stared at his kneecaps, and a fond look covered his face for a moment. He quickly pushed it away and now held a despondent look instead. Patton wanted to ask, but he didn’t want to pry. So instead, he sat up in his bed, reminding Damian to his presence.

“Thank you,” Patton said, “for being a good friend.”

Damian snorted. He shook his head and replied, “Don’t worry about it. I’m only thinking about myself. It’s not like I care about your safety or anything.”

“Still, you didn’t have to tell me.”

Damian glanced over at Patton, a light smile on his face. He stood up from his spot on the bed and jumped back onto the top bunk.

“Get some rest, Patton. You feel exhausted.”

“Oh I am,” Patton replied without processing how Damian knew that exactly. He laid down on the pillow and allowed his eyes to slip closed. 

The last thing Patton remembered was Damian whispering “you dumbass” to his book.

\--

With the full moon approaching, the pit in Patton’s stomach grew heavier and heavier. He still didn’t break ties with Damian. In fact, he found himself spending more and more time with him and less time with Roman and Virgil. Not that he and Roman were tight friends, but Virgil probably noticed by now. It’s just… when he hung out with Virgil, Cora’s words hung in his mind like poison, killing all the enjoyment in the time they spent together. He did his best to hang out with Virgil at least every other day, but sometimes he skipped out on meetings.

If Virgil noticed, he didn’t say anything.

Maybe… maybe Patton was subconsciously making his choice. Maybe he wanted to stay with Damian instead of going with his pack. But that was wrong! He couldn’t betray his family like that. They accepted him just the way he was, and they only asked one thing of him so far. He had to stop being friends with Damian. That’s just how this had to go.

Now all he had to do was do it.

Patton sighed as he rolled onto his back. The calendar hung above him like a prison sentence, reminding him the full moon was tomorrow. Tomorrow night, Logan would drive up to get Patton before they all shifted. Tomorrow night, the pack would eagerly await Patton to tell them that Damian was no longer in his life. Tomorrow night, he was going to lose a friend and a good one at that. Damian had been nothing but kind to him.

Some friend Patton was. At this point, Damian didn’t deserve him.

Patton’s phone buzzed. He picked it off the nightstand. The sharp light of the screen caused Patton to squint, and the midnight hour stared back at him. Logan’s name appeared above a text message. Patton put his glasses on and sat up a little straighter. He opened the message and started a conversation.

_Bro-gan: You are coming tomorrow, are you not?_

_Me: Of course I am silly goose! What makes you think that :D_

_Bro-gan: One, I am not a goose. I am not even remotely related to a goose. Two, I ended up missing you last evening and needed clarification that you were going to settle my upset stomach._

_Me: Aww you poor little anxious baby :(_

_Bro-gan: This is Logan, not Virgil._

_Me: I know I just couldn’t resist ;)_

_Bro-gan: I will never understand you or Roman’s insatiable need to use clever nicknames for the people you find important in your life._

_Me: You think I’m clever? :o_

_Bro-gan: I did not say that._

_Me: You did sooooo :D_

Logan’s texts stopped. Patton smiled and giggled through his nose. He put his phone down on the nightstand and settled back into bed. With a content sigh, Patton let his eyes close once again.

Light chittering caught Patton’s attention. He opened his eyes again to see a bat flying around his room. Damian must’ve come back early from his hunt. He sat back up in bed and watched the shape take form. However, that shape was most definitely not Damian. Patton pressed his back into the pillow as the person in front of him licked their wrist.

“Damian, are you back yet?” the voice spoke. Patton didn’t recognize it. The person brushed their long, curly hair off their neck and sighed. Patton’s heart pounded in his chest. The person turned toward the bed and stilled. “Oh. Hello there.”

Patton’s jaw clenched. He wished he could’ve meshed into the pillow and pretended he didn’t exist. The person’s smile gleamed in the moonlight, revealing long fangs and stained lips.

The person continued, “I didn’t know Damian kept food in his room.” They walked closer and put their hands on their knees as they leaned in closer. Patton whimpered and resisted the urge to pull the blanket over his head. The person’s eyes appeared to glow red. Patton swallowed hard.

“Aww, you’re scared,” the person spoke again. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I just ate. I won’t be hungry for another day or two.”

“H-how’s that supposed to make me feel better?” Patton asked.

“Oh, you can talk! Here I thought I petrified you. I do have that effect on people,” they said.

“Who,” Patton’s voice cracked, and he tried again, “Who are you?”

“Oh, just a friend of Damian’s. A very old friend.” They stood and put their hands on their hips. “And I’m a bit disappointed he didn’t tell you all about me. We only have lived together for the past one hundred and fifty years.”

“Oh,” Patton simply said. He shifted in his bed, his nerves releasing ever so slightly. He didn’t forget they avoided the name question altogether. He tried again, “So, how do you know Damian?”

“Me? Oh, we met on his owner’s plantation back in the day. I was helping run the underground railroad and giving my people the freedom they deserved and maybe taking revenge on those who deserved it as well. A growing girl had to eat, after all.”

Patton nodded his head. Was Damian really that old? Was he a slave a long time ago? Patton swiftly realized he barely knew anything about Damian at all.

The woman continued, “I met Damian when he was sixteen. He was… oh, the poor thing. He was in bad shape. I promised his mother I’d get him out of there, and I did, but he kept insisting on going back. He kept saying he had to go back for his mama. So I let him.”

Patton waited for her to continue. His stomach dropped, not wanting to know the answer but wanting closure at the same time. “Did he get her?”

She sighed. “She was beaten to death when he found her. Dumped in a pit with not even the dignity of a proper burial.”

“Oh gosh,” Patton whispered. He really wished he didn’t ask now.

“He cremated her and carried her all the way back to my house, and we gave her the funeral she deserved.”

“That’s… that’s so sad.”

“Not all stories end happily, sugar. In fact, for us, a lot more ended sadly than hopeful, but it didn’t stop us from having hope.”

Patton nodded his head. He took a deep breath in and let it out. For a moment, silence settled between them. Patton spoke up, “So, were you a… you know… when you met Damian?”

“A vampire?” she said with a smile. “Yes.”

“Did you… turn him?”

“Goodness no. That one wasn’t on me. Besides, I’m not one to bite and tell.” She winked.

Patton wondered if it was rude to ask how a vampire became… well them. He relaxed a little as the woman walked over to the window. She folded her arms as she stared into the moonlit scenery around her. Her lips pulled down into a slight frown.

“Well,” she continued, “if you happen to see Damian tonight, let him know that Cassie was looking for him, okay?”

“Okay,” Patton replied. He wondered if he was talking to Cassie or if Cassie was another person entirely. Before he could ask, the woman turned into a bat and escaped out into the night, leaving Patton with more questions than answers.

\--

“And you’re sure everything is fine?”

“I promise, Virgil.”

Virgil took a bite of his fry and twirled it around in his finger. He watched Patton chew on his chicken fingers and sighed heavily through his nose. Patton looked okay. Patton smelled okay. Maybe he was just being para-

“Besides,” Patton continued, “I know that the full moon is tonight, so you’d be a little more worried than normal. Logan always got less focused around this time too, or at least, that's what I noticed. And he hasn’t stopped texting me since last night.”

Virgil quirked a brow, and he asked, “About what?”

“Just making sure that I’m coming,” Patton replied. He closed the lid to his carton of finished food and added, “He just feels a little Lo-gan.”

The corner of Virgil’s lips quirked. “Boo. Get new material.”

“But I _felt_ like you’d like it.”

Virgil let out a breathy laugh and shook his head. He finished the rest of the french fry between his fingers and piled Patton’s trash onto his tray. Patton protested, but Virgil was already up and walking away before Patton could get the full sentence out. He sighed and put his head in his hands.

Someone sat beside Patton and pressed their side against his. Patton glanced over and saw Roman grinning down at him. He sent a smile back.

“Hey, Roman. What’s got you _Roman_ into our neighborhood?”

“It’s lunchtime,” Roman replied with a smile, “and I’m starving.”

Patton noticed the huge salad with ham and chicken in front of Roman and rose a brow. He asked, “Wait, don’t you crave meat like Logan and Virgil?”

“Oh, I do,” Roman replied, “but I can get away with just a little bit.”

“You mean you starve yourself,” Virgil growled as he plopped on the other side of the table.

Roman shot him an offended glare and put a hand to his chest, “I’m appalled you would even think I’d harm my body in-”

“Freshman year, October, you went on a health food craze and nearly-”

“Okay, okay, so one time does not make a pattern,” Roman replied. He grumbled, “I learned my lesson.”

Virgil rose a brow. Roman ignored him. He instead stabbed his salad until he had a satisfying amount of lettuce falling off his fork and took a huge bite. Patton looked between the two twins, wishing he shared that twin telepathy- or maybe pack telepathy- and tapped his fingers on the table. It seemed to have caught both of their attention, and Patton remembered how sensitive their hearing was around this time.

“Sorry,” He mumbled. He put his hand back into his pocket.

“There’s no reason to apologize,” Roman said and pushed his shoulder into Patton. Patton sent him a nervous smile, and Roman forced one onto his. “So, how are your classes going?”

Thankful for the change of subject, Patton said, “Oh, they’re going good. My psychology class said something funny the other day. Apparently people thought full moon affected someone’s personality, and it was called “the luna tick” and that’s where we get the word “lunatic.”

Virgil and Roman shared a look and burst out laughing. Patton tilted his head to the side, a bewildered look on his face.

“Those are all folk tales,” Roman replied through his giggles. “Humans have used the moon to explain the unexplainable for centuries.”

“Anything can become a conspiracy theory if you try hard enough,” Virgil added and took a sip of his Gatorade.

“I guess,” Patton said and glanced down at the cup nestled between his fingers. Virgil and Roman continued to watch him.

“Alright, what’s bothering you?” Virgil asked. Patton’s head snapped up, and Virgil softened his gaze a bit.

“Nothing,” Patton replied.

“Au contraire,” Roman said as he put an arm around Patton’s shoulder. He pulled Patton into his chest and gave his shoulder a tight squeeze, “We know that look all too well. You’re hiding something from us.”

Patton’s body stiffened against Roman, and Roman slacked his grip a bit. However, Patton didn’t pull away, so Roman instead ran his hand up and down Patton’s arm in silent comfort.

“It’s nothing serious,” Patton replied. A less than happy smile pressed his lips together, and he continued, “Don’t worry about it.”

“Patton, do you know who you’re talking to?” Virgil asked and gestured to himself. “Besides, you’re part of our pack. Of course we’re going to worry about you.”

The confirmation brought a real smile to Patton’s lips, and he took a deep breath in and out. “Like I said, it’s nothing to worry about. It’s just me and my silly- uh- I’ll get over it.”

“Is it about Aunt Cora wanting you to homeschool the girls?” Roman asked.

Patton chuckled, “Ya know, kiddo, I forgot that was something she asked me about.”

“So, that’s a no I’m guessing,” Virgil stated more than asked.

“I… uh, I don’t know,” Patton responded. His worried expression returned. Virgil and Roman shared a look, and they observed Patton closely. After a few seconds of silence, Virgil’s head perked up, and he motioned for the other two to look behind them.

“Hey Roman. Hey Patton,” a cheerful voice called from behind. Roman released Patton from his grip and turned around. Patton’s eyes practically lit up.

“Hey, Thomas!” Patton greeted. Thomas glanced at his food before he asked, “Mind if I sit with you?”

Virgil glowered before replying, “Of course-”

“Not!,” Patton finished. Virgil sent him an annoyed glance, and Thomas took the empty seat next to Virgil. Resisting the urge to growl, Virgil slid over to give Thomas as much space as he could. Thomas adjusted the messenger bag on his shoulders until it sat behind him and sent a smile towards Roman and Patton.

“So, how have classes been for you?” Thomas asked.

“Awful,” Roman mumbled and tangled his fingers through his hair. He rested his elbows on the table, earning a chuckle from Thomas. Roman continued, “I don’t know why I need algebra to become an actor.”

Thomas shrugged and replied, “You never know. It might come in handy.”

“Yes, to bore everyone else on the set.”

“How about you, Patton?” Thomas turned his attention to the mentioned.

“Oh, uh, you know,” Patton replied, “It’s _class_-ic school.”

Thomas snorted, and the other two looked delightfully horrified by the awful pun. Thomas picked his slice of pizza off his plate and took a bite.

“Hey, have either of you two seen Joan? I wanted to talk to them about the upcoming play,” Thomas asked.

“I haven't,” Roman informed, “but I’m also interested to know what it is.”

“I think we’re doing Fiddler on the Roof-”

“Yes! Oh, I was born to play the part of Tevye.” Roman cleared his throat and started to sing, and Virgil snorted through his nose.

“More like Lazar Wolf.”

Patton choked on his water, and Roman released a shrill offended squeal. 

“I would never-”

“I think it was just a joke, Roman,” Thomas responded.

“Well, I didn’t think it was very funny,” Roman grumbled and stabbed the air with his fork in Virgil’s general direction. Virgil shrugged, and Patton put his water down to cough into his elbow.

“Now, Virgil, be nice,” he scolded.

“Fat chance.”

Roman glowered, and Virgil stared right back, his eyebrow rose in an unspoken phrase between ‘you don’t scare me’ and ‘bring it.’ Roman grabbed his empty carton of trash and stomped toward the garbage can. Virgil watched him leave, and Thomas returned to eating his food.

“Are you going to be in the play this year, Pat?” Thomas asked, his eyes lit up with hope.

“Uh, I don’t know, kiddo,” Patton replied and played with his hands. “I have a lot going on right now.”

Virgil rose a brow, and Thomas deflated a bit.

“Oh, okay. I understand. School can be kinda stressful, but I guess there’s always next semester’s play, right?”

“Yeah,” Patton replied. Virgil watched Patton’s every move, and his undivided attention was starting to weird Patton out. Patton stood, and he grabbed his bag at the side of the table. “Well, I hate to eat and run, but I should probably get back to my dorm before my next class. I have to pick up my text book that I forgot.”

“Okay, see you soon,” Thomas called out. Virgil watched him leave, and Roman stood beside him to do the same.

“Something’s up,” Virgil grumbled.

“Yes, I agree, but it’s not like we can force Patton to tell us what’s wrong.”

“I bet you it’s got something to do with Damian.”

Thomas’s attention perked up as he asked, “Who’s Damian?”

Virgil, suddenly aware that a strange human was in earshot, growled through his teeth, “It’s just Patton’s roommate.”

Thomas, satiated by the statement, went back to eating the pizza in front of him. Roman eyed Thomas over before he sighed heavily through his nose. A quick glance at Virgil said they’d continue the conversation later when innocents were out of earshot, and Virgil took his leave as well. However, instead of heading back to his dorm, he decided to tail a certain someone. It probably wasn’t necessary, but his gut was telling him something was wrong.

Patton was starting to smell less like the pack.

\--

Patton opened and closed the door to his dorm room and sighed. He turned around and jumped back with a light shriek.

“Welcome back,” Damian purred with a toothy grin. “So sorry. Did I startle you?”

“A little bit there, kiddo,” Patton said and let out a nervous chuckle. He scooted past Damian and walked toward his bed.

“I thought your classes weren’t over until this afternoon.”

“Oh, they’re not.”

Damian rose a brow, “And you’re back because…?”

“I just forgot a textbook,” Patton replied with a cheerful smile. He leaned down and looked under his bed. “Oh, um, I don’t see it under here. Huh.”

Damian rose a brow and asked, “Do you want me to help you look for it?”

“Uh, gee, that’d be great! Thanks.”

Damian noted the insincere tone in Patton’s voice, though it would only be detectable to someone who knew him well. Patton covered up his emotions well to the human eye, but Damian knew better. He could practically feel Patton’s discomfort rolling off of him like a swelling storm. 

Damian pretended to look in the desk drawers to humor Patton and said, “What a surprise. It’s not in the desk.”

“Huh, how about under the sink?”

Damian rolled his eyes and opened the cabinet door with as little effort as possible. “Not here either.”

Patton stood on his knees and put a hand on his hip. He ran the other through his hair. “Well, gosh, I don’t know where it could’ve gone.”

“Did you check in your bag?”

  
“Um,” Patton bit his lip and opened his bag up. He let out a nervous laugh and said, “Oh, silly me! I had it with me the whole time. Guess this was just a wild goose chase.”

“Uh-huh,” Damian said and walked to Patton’s side. He sat down on Patton’s bed and noticed how Patton wouldn’t look at him. He rose a brow. “Now, mind telling me why you’re really here?”

Patton’s head snapped up to him, but Damian didn’t flinch. Patton did too well at faking a smile, and it brought a frown to Damian’s lips.

“I was looking for my book,” Patton replied. He stood up and dusted his pants off. “Well, since I’m here, there’s no point going anywhere else until my class comes. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Who threatened you?”

Patton looked down at Damian, eager to laugh at the statement, but Damian’s expression held no mirth. Patton’s smile dropped a bit as he replied, “No one threatened me.”

“You’re avoiding someone.”

“Don’t be silly! I was just-”

“Patton.”

Patton’s smile dropped, and Damian watched the bob of Patton’s neck as he swallowed. He stood next to Patton, easily towering over him, and Patton shrank back. Damian watched his movements carefully. Patton lowered his head and adjusted the bag on his hip. He turned to escape, and Damian grabbed onto his wrist.

“Patton?”

Patton paused and bit his lip. He mumbled, “See you when I get back, okay?”

Damian wanted to press further, he wanted to pull Patton back and ask him what had him so shaken, but the better part of him knew not to press his luck. He let Patton’s wrist fall from his grip and sighed through his nose.

“Alright, I’ll see you tonight.”

Patton sent back a smile, but Damian didn’t return it. Patton mustn’t have expected him to, because he hurried out the door and closed it behind him awful fast. Damian had half a nerve to follow Patton and see where he was going, but he stayed put. Patton was his own person with his own pack of people to protect him. He didn’t need Damian hovering over him too.

Still, what if Patton was upset because tonight was the full moon? What if he got into a fight with Logan about going? Maybe he _was _actually being forced to go. Logan did appear to get rather possessive of Patton around a full moon, and what human was going to argue with an aggressive werewolf?

With a heavy sigh, Damian stood from his bed and exited the dorm room to chase after Patton.

\--

The last thing Virgil expected to run into was Damian tailing Patton. Whether Patton was wise to it or not, it still lit a fire in his chest. He approached Damian, who didn’t glance his way, and jabbed an accusing finger into his shoulder.

“Hey, what are you doing?” 

Damian’s head snapped toward him, and his lips imitated a cocky grin. “Oh, Virgil, so nice to see you here. No doubt you’re the cause of Patton’s misery.”

“What? No. That’s- what are you doing following Patton?”

“I’m not allowed to be worried about my roommate?”

“No- I mean, it’s none of your business.”

“And it’s yours?”

“Of course it is! He’s part of my pack.”

“Ah yes, your little pack. I’m aware.” Virgil’s fur bristled, and Damian relished in ruffling Virgil’s nerves. He added, “Besides, it’s not like Patton has been acting strange the past few days.”

“The past few days?”

Damian mocked shock and clicked his tongue. “I’m surprised at you. You haven’t noticed? And you call yourself his friend?”

Virgil grit his teeth and growled, “Listen-”

Damian, however, followed Patton as he entered the English wing of the building. Virgil followed Damian’s gaze, and Damian sighed through his nose.

“Patton has gone to class as he always does. It seems it was a false alarm,” Damian mumbled.

“Still doesn’t excuse you following him.”

“And you get a free pass?”

Damian turned and walked back toward their dorms. “I suggest you get some rest, Virgil. You’re going to need it for tonight.”

Virgil opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn't think of a witty comeback to retort with. Instead, he growled under his breath and turned to march back to Roman, or at least where he left Roman. Something didn’t feel right. Something was wrong, and it was more than just a gut feeling this time. Somehow, Damian was involved, and Virgil would prove it if it was the last thing he did.

\--

Patton kept his head down as he hurried to his class. He quickly brushed away any tears that threatened to leak from his eyes and turned a corner. For the second time this month, he ran straight into someone. Patton squeezed his eyes shut and recoiled.

“Sorry.”

“Okay, babe.” 

Patton’s eyes snapped open at that voice. He looked up and met his reflection in dark sunglasses. A wide smile grinned down at him, and Patton’s heart skipped a beat. Remy’s grin almost widened.

“Oh, it’s you,” Patton’s breathless reply answered.

Two hands pressed down onto Patton’s shoulder. Even if Patton wanted to, he couldn’t pull away. His grip on his bag’s strap increased, and he dropped his gaze to the floor. Remy stayed silent, surveying the scene in front of him.

“Who made you cry?” 

Patton flinched. “No one.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

Patton bit his lip. He took a deep breath in, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed. He sighed through his nose and replied, “It’s nothing.”

“The hell it’s not.”

Patton’s irritation flared up in his chest. He grumbled, “Even if I wanted to tell you, I can’t, and you didn’t even tell me your name, so why does it-”

“Remy.”

Patton’s eyes snapped open. His head rose to gaze at a softer smile staring down at him. “W-what?”

“My name. It’s Remy.”

“Oh, well, nice to officially meet you.” Patton smiled, even though he knew Remy’s name from his “accidental” eavesdropping. The thought of Remy only after him for sex crossed his mind. He loosened his smile and continued, “Wait, I thought your name was first date information.”

Either it was Patton’s imagination or Remy’s hands actually did pull him in closer, because Patton felt his balance waver, like he was falling into Remy’s chest.

“It is,” Remy replied, “but I guess I can make an exception for you.”

With a long sigh, Patton closed his eyes and nodded his head. A genuine smile lit upon his face. He closed the rest of the gap between him and Remy, leaning his forehead onto Remy’s chest. Remy circled his arms around Patton’s shoulders, and Patton pressed his body into him. The hug felt like home. Patton sniffled, and he swallowed hard.

“Thanks,” Patton choked out.

“Hey, it’s okay. Just relax,” Remy said as he rubbed his hand up and down Patton’s spine.

“It’s just, I haven’t been having the best week, and I just…”

“You gonna tell me or just be vague, because I do have a class to get to,” Remy replied. He hummed, and the sound vibrated through Patton’s head and traveled down to his toes, sending shivers and goosebumps across his skin. “I got an idea. Skip with me.”

“S-skip?” Patton’s head snapped up. If Remy wasn’t holding him, he would’ve pulled away. “But- I- We can’t just skip class.”

Remy’s eyebrow raised. “Why not?”

“Well, because… because think of the work we’ll miss.”

“You know our professors usually update the internet with missing assignments.”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“Skip with me.”

Patton’s head lowered, and Remy guided it back up to look at him with a gentle finger under Patton’s chin. Remy lifted his sunglasses with his other hand, and Patton for the first time saw the honey-sweet irises. Now he knew why Remy kept them covered. They were almost hypnotic.

“Skip with me,” Remy repeated, “Please?”

Patton let out a long sigh. Maybe… maybe one class wouldn’t hurt. And maybe it’d be nice to hang out with someone… normal. Someone human. Someone just like him. He nodded his head, and Remy squeezed a hand around Patton’s shoulder. He guided him down the hallway, keeping his steps even with Patton’s own.

Remy informed, “Alright, but I’m going to need a cup of coffee before we hang out together. It makes me feel alive again.”

\--

Logan hated driving when he was about to shift. If Roman would get his license and park at the school, he wouldn’t be in this situation. He was going to buy Patton a car and pay for the fee himself at this rate, just so Patton could bus the two werewolves home every full moon instead.

Logan parked in front of the dorm his pack resided in and cut the engine. He sat there for a few minutes, his head pounding against the headrest and mind growing fuzzy. The full moon wouldn’t be out for another four hours, but already Logan felt sluggish and miserable. Why didn’t Virgil and Roman feel this awful when they were about to shift? Perhaps they did and Logan was blissfully unaware of it. Perhaps it was because Logan was changed against his will and his body wasn’t suited for the exhaustion a shift brought. Perhaps he should get out of his car and gather his pack before his exhaustion got the better of him.

Logan stepped out of his car and breathed in the humid Autumn air. The gravel crunched under his feet and grated further on his nerves. He closed the door, but it slammed like the headache behind his fake glasses. Logan stuffed his hands into his pockets and hurried inside the dorm. He climbed the stairs to the second floor and arrived at Patton’s door. With two light knocks that matched the pulse of his headache, Logan waited for someone to answer.

The door handle turned, and Logan met two eyes glaring at him through the crack.

“What?”

“I’m here to pick up Patton.”

The door opened a little wider. “Well, hello, Logan.”

“Salutations,” Logan replied, trying his best to keep his annoyance at bay. “I need Patton immediately.”

“He’s not here right now,” Damian informed.

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe that’d relieve his migraine. “Well, where is he?”

“I’m not his keeper.”

“I-” Logan cleared the growl from his throat and continued, “You are his roommate, correct?”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean he tells me everything.”

“Impossible. Patton tells everyone everything.”

“Not always,” Damian paused, recalling the events from earlier, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was with friends after his classes. He seemed… upset.”

Logan’s eyes flew open. He resisted the urge to lash out and grab Damian by the shirt. “Upset? About what?”

Damian shrugged and responded, “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me.”

“You- you don’t-” Logan turned on his heel. He marched down the hall, and Damian leaned out his doorway.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to speak to Virgil and Roman,” Logan growled back. He knew it sounded animalistic, but he couldn’t bring himself to care how he sounded at the moment.

Patton better be with them.

Logan found Roman and Virgil’s dorm room and pounded his fist on the door. He crossed his arms and waited for someone to answer. It took hours, but eventually Roman pulled the door back with a smile.

“Well, hello there, Logan. Are you ready to-”

“Where is Patton?”

Roman blinked and kept his smile from slipping away. He responded, “He should be in his room by now, but maybe he stayed behind to talk to his professor.”

Virgil squeezed past Roman and fought for attention at the doorway. Logan’s eyes connected with him, and Virgil challenged him with a stare of his own. The hair on Logan’s neck bristled.

“Last I knew he went to class. It should be over by now though.”

“Well, he’s not in his room, and he knows we’re running out of time to-”

“Relax, Wolverine. We’ll find Patton and get him back here,” Roman replied. He pulled out his phone and pressed Patton’s name. After raising it to his ear, he waited patiently for it to stop ringing and for Patton to answer.

Patton’s voicemail picked up.

Roman hummed through his nose and tried again, only to get the same result. His frown turned into a grimace.

“He’s not answering,” Roman informed.

“Then let me try,” Logan said and pulled out his own phone. He dialed Patton’s number and rose it to his ear. It rang twice before Patton picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Patton! Where are you? We’ve been trying to get ahold of you. Do you know what night is tonight?”

Silence answered him for a few seconds. Patton’s calm voice finally replied, “I know.”

“Then get over here. We have to get going.”

“I’m not… going.”

Logan recoiled as if Patton physically slapped him. He blinked away his shock before he asked, “Wait, what do you mean you’re not going?”

Roman and Virgil shared expressions as they listened in on the conversation. Logan’s eyes snapped to them, accusing them of something, but he didn’t know what yet.

“I mean I’m not going,” Patton hurried to say.

“Why not?” 

“Because- well I just don’t want to.”

“Patton, the whole night, all you’ve been doing is telling me how much you couldn’t wait to see me again for the full moon, and now you’re telling me you’re not going? At least,” Logan’s voice lowered, “at least tell me to my face.”

The other side of the phone grew quiet. Logan strained his hearing, but he couldn’t tell if that was static or Patton crying. He swallowed hard and gnawed at his lip.

“I’m sorry,” Patton responded at last. Now Logan knew it was tears. “I just- if I see you then I know that I’ll want to go, and…”

Another voice spoke, and Logan listened. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but Patton spoke back to them. Something about telling them it was his brother. Another long pause, and Patton followed up with ‘no it’s okay’ and a long sigh.

“Patton,” Logan practically whispered into the phone, “Patton, please, tell me what’s wrong. What did… what did we do wrong?”

“Nothing! It’s not you. It’s nothing you did. I just… I don’t… I…”

There was another pause, and a voice Logan didn’t recognize came onto the line, “Look, babe, he said he didn’t want to go. Stop hounding him.”

Logan’s shock snapped his jaw shut. The connection closed. Logan stared down at his phone, and even though Roman and Virgil tried to get his attention, he could only focus on Patton’s contact picture smiling back at him. Who was that? Were they a new friend of Patton’s? Were they convincing him not to go? What was going on?

Two hands grabbed Logan’s arms, and he recoiled with a yelp and a deep growl. Roman held out his hands defensively, and he sent a non-threatening smile.

“Logan, what happened?” Roman repeated the question that fell on deaf ears.

“I don’t know.” Logan ran a hand through his hair. “Someone was talking to Patton, someone I didn’t recognize.”

“I knew it,” Virgil growled. “I knew something was going on.”

“Okay, okay,” Roman hushed them both, “let’s just take a deep breath and think about this for a moment.”

“We don’t have time!” Logan snapped. “It’s already after 6 pm, and if we want to get home before the shift, we need to leave now!”

Virgil picked up his phone and dialed Patton’s number. It rang twice before sending him to voicemail. Virgil growled through his nose and tried again. This time, it went straight to voicemail.

“He’s ghosting me now,” Virgil snarled.

“It’s okay,” Roman ran a hand through his hair. “We can-”

“No, it’s not okay!” Virgil threw his hands up in the air. “Something’s been going on with him. I could feel it. Heck, even Damian felt it, and we-”

“What?”

“-didn’t do anything about it. We’re supposed to be his pack-”

“Virgil, what was that about Damian?” Roman asked again.

Virgil blinked a few times before he pursed his lips. He explained, “Damian and I tailed him to English, because we could both feel something wasn’t right with Patton. I should’ve followed him inside. I should’ve-”

“Okay, we can still figure this out,” Roman looked up and noticed Logan storming down the hallway. He hurried to catch up.

“Logan, wait! Where are you going?”

“I’m going to speak to Damian,” Logan informed in a restrained voice.

Roman and Virgil shared a look before they chased Logan down the hall. Logan raised his fist and pounded on Damian’s door. At first, he didn’t hear anything on the other side. He tried again. The door swung open, leaving a very annoyed Damian as the doorway’s sole occupant.

“Whatever could you want at this time of night?” Damian asked.

“I need to speak to you about Patton,” Logan replied.

“I already told you-”

“I am running out of time! In a few hours, I will not be myself, and I have no idea of knowing how I will react without Patton by my side. He will not answer our calls, so I need you to call him and talk some sense into him before-” Logan cut off his words. His voice lowered, “before I do something that will hurt someone.”

Damian let out a long sigh. He motioned for Logan to follow him in and eyed the other two over. If he didn’t want them to follow, he didn’t say anything.

Logan took a deep breath. The room smelled distinctly like Patton- well, Patton if he spent all his time at a morgue. He sat on Patton’s bed and wrapped one of Patton’s blankets around his shoulders, burying his nose deep within its folds. 

Damian watched him with a raised brow. He shook his head and pushed Patton’s name on his phone. It rang three times.

“Oh hey, I know this one.”

Damian sucked in a deep breath. He hissed through his teeth, “Remy-”

“Oh, I know how this looks, babe, but I promise I’m not trying to, like, invade your territory or anything. I ran into Patton, and he looked hella upset, and you know my weakness is crying boys, so I thought I’d step in and comfort him. You’re welcome.”

“Bring. Patton. Back.”

Remy sucked in a deep breath through his teeth and clicked his tongue. “Oooh, see, here’s the thing, m’kay, Patton doesn’t want to leave.”

“I’d rather hear that from him.”

“Um, excuse you, but you need to back the eff up and take a chill pill. You’re not like his maker or anything. Patton can do what he wants, and he doesn’t owe anyone an explanation, m’kay Damo?”

The use of Patton’s nickname for him burned in Damian’s gut. He slammed his jaw shut and growled, the sounds snapping everyone else in the room to attention. “Listen-”

“Nah.”

The phone clicked, and Damian paused. His brain finally caught up with what just happened, and he resisted the urge to crush the phone in his grip.

“Who the hell was that? What did they want?” Virgil asked as he turned Damian around look at him. He flinched and backed up.

Damian’s red eyes bore holes into Virgil’s stomach, and he pocketed his phone before he destroyed it. Logan rose to his feet, Patton’s blanket still wrapped around him.

“That was,” Damian paused and gathered his thoughts, “Remy. He’s another vampire in my clan.”

Virgil grabbed both sides of his hair and hissed through his teeth, “Patton’s _alone_ with another vampire?”

“Remy won’t hurt him,” Damian reassured. However, judging by Virgil’s flabbergasted expression, he didn’t believe him. He added, “Remy’s too smart to hurt him.”

“Like that makes me feel better!” Virgil yelled and threw his hands into the air.

“Alright, let’s just think about this for a minute,” Roman said.

“Think? Think?! How the hell am I supposed to think about this?” Virgil snapped. “Patton’s who knows the fuck where and-”

“I know!” Roman yelled back. He lowered his voice. “I know. Don’t you think I want to race in there teeth bared and rescue him from whatever evil clutches he’s found his way into? Patton needs us. It sounds like he needed us for a while, and we did nothing. Now, we have to suffer the consequences of our actions.”

“Yeah, go ahead, make me feel worse about myself.”

“I’m not trying to!”

“Well, you’re doing a shitty job.”

Damian’s voice cut in, “Gentleman, I hate to interrupt, but-”

“Why does everything I do have to be something you take offense to? I’m really trying my best here, but you’re stressing me out and I can’t-”

“You can’t what? You can’t be the leader you always wanted to be? Newsflash, genius, wolves are pack animals. That alpha bullshit is just teen romance crap. We’re a team!”

“Well, you’re certainly not acting like it.”

Damian sighed. “Oh yes, because arguing is going to fix all of this.”

Virgil turned to Damian and snapped, “You stay out of this!”

Damian glared right back and growled, “Oh, yes, because it’s none of my business if Logan left in the middle of your petty argument.”

“He what-” Virgil spun around, but Logan had disappeared. He turned to Roman, whose eyes were wide with fear, and returned to Damian. “He left and you didn’t tell us?”

Damian rolled his eyes. “Well, I _tried_-”

“Nevermind,” Roman interrupted. “We have to find both Patton and Logan before something truly dreadful happens. Virgil, Damian, you know Patton and Remy best. Go hunting for them. I’ll go after Logan.”

“You expect him to work with me?” Damian asked.

“Fat chance,” Virgil mumbled.

“Look, I know you two have some… something between you two, but right now Patton needs you, so can you just pretend to like each other for a few minutes for Patton’s sake?”

Damian and Virgil both exchanged expressions. While one looked disgusted, the other looked resigned. They mumbled assurance under their breath and set off down the hall.

Roman covered his eyes with his palms and took deep breaths. He caught Logan’s scent lingering in the air and followed it. Hopefully, he could find Logan before someone else did.

\--

“Patton, babe, if you keep ripping the tissues in half, we’re going to run out,” Remy said with a laugh. He rested his chin on Patton’s head, his eyes focused on the doorway. Patton shifted below him, but Remy didn’t stir. He instead wrapped his arms tighter around Patton’s chest in what he hoped was a comforting hug and shushed Patton’s hair. Laying a gentle kiss on top of Patton’s head, Remy took a deep inhale of Patton’s lavender shampoo.

“I know,” Patton’s hoarse voice spoke below him. It didn’t stop him from ripping the tissues. However, a gentle hand on his did. Patton attempted to turn and face Remy, but he found he didn’t have the energy. The longer he laid against Remy’s chest, the less energy he seemed to have.

Remy’s fingers wove between Patton’s curls, and he sighed. He said, “You really shouldn’t feel bad about this. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes. Healthy, even.”

Patton stayed silent. Judging by the bob of his throat and quickened heartbeat, Remy assumed Patton had an anxious thought but suppressed it.

Remy continued, “Besides, one night away from your pack isn’t going to hurt. I’m sure they’ll be fine without you.”

“I… hope so,” Patton mumbled. He let his eyes slip closed as he took a deep breath. “Remy, what if Logan doesn’t make it home in time before he shifts? What if-”

“What if it’s not your problem? Logan is his own person and can make his own damn bad choices. It’s not your fault. You didn’t turn him, and I sure as hell know you aren’t responsible for him because of it.”

“I know, but-”

“Patton, babe,” Remy said as he turned to glance over Patton’s shoulder. Patton turned his head the best he could. Their noses almost practically touched. “No one deserves your time. They have to earn it. They have to earn you. You’re a prize, so treat yourself like one.”

Patton’s chest fluttered. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing up against Remy’s own. Remy’s smile revealed pointed teeth, and Patton shivered. He almost pulled back, but something held him still. Within a moment, he and Remy closed the gap.

Remy tasted like everything Patton expected. Patton got coffee that shocked him awake and mints that refreshed every delighted emotion he ever felt before. For some reason, Patton’s lips tingled. Patton recognized the feeling, and his heart stopped. Remy’s mouth traveled down his chin to his neck, and Patton sucked in a deep breath.

“S-stop,” Patton panted. Remy’s lips froze over Patton’s jugular, and Patton forced himself to think straight. He sat up and expected Remy to stop him, but he didn’t.

“What’s up?” Remy asked. He moved Patton around on his lap until Patton could comfortably face him.  
  


“I- I don’t,” Patton took a deep breath, “Remy, why do you like me?”

“Why do I-” Remy paused and rolled his eyes with a sigh, “What did Damian say to you?”

“He said… he said that you only like to have relationships for the sex, and I-”

“M’kay, pump the brakes right there. Damian’s just mad because he fell for me then realized I didn’t want him.”

Patton blinked. “What?”

Remy rubbed his neck and let out a long breath. “Hooo boy, okay, so like, what all do you know about us? I mean, Damian and I?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you know that we’re both vampires?”

“Both?” Patton’s eyes widened.

Remy clicked his tongue and sucked in a breath. “Oh, he didn’t tell you? Yeah, we’re part of the same clan. Have been since 1946.”

Patton nearly fell backward, but Remy’s strong grip held him up. He tried to form a few words several times but gave up mid-sentence. Remy watched the bob of Patton’s lips before he continued with his story.

“Yeah, so like, while Damian was celebrating not dying in the world war, because you know, he was trying to not to die for like… years, he got really drunk in a bar that I happened to be at. And, ya know how I told Damian on the phone that like, crying boys are my weakness? Yeah, I wasn’t kidding. So he got drunk enough that I told the boys I’d walk him home, only he didn’t have a home. He said he was only here because he was running away. So, I told him he could stay at my place.”

“Were you human at the time?” Patton asked.

“Oh hell yeah, and loving every minute of it. So like, Damian admitted he found me cute, and you know being gay back then was not something the straights liked, so it was hard to find gay partners. So I took advantage of the situation. I mean, I shouldn’t have because Damian was drunk off his ass, but I was young and stupid. Besides, I ended up paying for it so I mean, like karma and stuff.”

“Remy, did you…” Patton swallowed hard, “did you have sex without Damian’s consent?”

“Like I said, I was young and stupid. Trust me, I learned my lesson.” Remy took a deep breath. “So like, we were getting kinky in bed, and Damian started licking me. I didn’t think anything of it until I couldn’t feel my neck. I asked him to stop, but he wouldn’t get off, and he was hella stronger than me. And then... chomp! He bit into my neck and starts sucking on me. At first, it felt kinda good, but then I started to get really lightheaded. I passed out on the bed. And the next thing I know, I wake up two months later with these giant fangs in my mouth and all these vampires whispering about what to do with me.”

“That’s… horrible,” Patton whispered.

Remy snapped into finger guns. “That’s life, baby.”

“And that’s why Damian has a grudge against you?”

“Has for years now.” Remy chuckled. “I can’t blame him though, and I don’t want him to forgive me, honestly. Sometimes you just gotta learn the hard way, you know?”

Patton nodded his head. His stomach growled, and Patton cradled it. 

Remy smacked his forehead. “Oh, that’s right! You eat three times a day. You’re probably starving. How about I order you some pizza or something?”

“Pizza?” Patton questioned. Remy pulled out his phone and searched up the nearest pizza place that delivered. Patton asked, “But, Remy, what about the garlic?”

“Hello?” Remy answered the phone. “Yes, I’d like a large-” Remy whispered- “What do you like on your pizza?”

“Um, extra cheese and pepperoni.”

“One large pizza pie with extra cheese and pepperoni.”

“But, Remy, the garlic-”

“Oh, and garlic too. Thanks.” Remy gave the address, hung up the phone, and put it back in his pocket. Patton blinked his shock away. His mouth tried to form words, but he couldn’t figure them out. Remy’s bemused smile stared down at him. “Something wrong, babe?”

“Aren’t vampires… doesn’t garlic hurt you?”

Remy threw his head back and laughed. Patton jumped at the sudden noise. Remy shook his head and let his laughter die down.

“Nah, garlic doesn’t hurt turned vampires.”

Patton furrowed his brow. “But, Damian didn’t like it when I had garlic pizza one night. He said it triggered him.”

Remy’s smile disappeared. He hummed as a sad smile graced his lips. “I guess it would, since I was eating garlic the night that Damian turned me.”

“Oh,” was all Patton could say right now. 

Remy adjusted Patton so Patton’s back rested against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around him. Patton’s steady heartbeat pumped life into him. He loved the sound of the human heartbeat, how grounding it was, how it reminded him of how fragile life was, so it should be lived to the fullest. 

Patton just realized he let not one but two vampires into his life. He struggled to get out of Remy’s grip, but the more he wiggled, the tighter Remy held.

“Something wrong?” Remy asked.

“Well, it’s just-” Patton stopped wiggling. He giggled nervously- “I just don’t know if us getting together is such a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Well, for one, you… uh, I’m sex-repulsed, and I don’t think that… I mean-”

“I can get side meals, ya know, as long as you’re okay with it.”

“I’m really… not.”

Remy sat back. His grip slid off Patton’s shoulders, and Patton took in the first deep breath in the past few minutes. Patton expected to turn around and see Remy’s angry face, but Remy’s face was soft, eyebrows knit together in understanding, and a slight tilt down of his chin in defeat.

“It’s fine, babe,” Remy said, a small smile appearing on his face soon after. “I get it. Not everyone’s interested in poly love.”

“Thank you,” Patton replied. He bit his lip, “and with me trying to figure out all this pack nonsense, adding a boyfriend vampire would probably make things worse before-”

“Stop,” Remy said and held up a hand. “You don’t have to, like, justify anything to me, babe. You’re not into me. We’re golden.”

Patton’s genuine smile brought one to Remy’s lips as well, and Patton held out his hand as he asked, “Friends?”

“Sure,” Remy said and took Patton’s had. He gave a firm shake, feeling Patton’s pulse under his fingertips, and let this fish get away.

\--

“Keep an eye out, okay? I don’t know what Rem has planned, but I swear if he bites-” Damian’s words cut off as the voice on the other side of the phone yelled. He pulled the phone away from his ear. He continued, “Yeah, yeah, Doc, we’re gonna find him. It’s gonna be fine.”

Damian turned off the phone and watched Virgil sniff about a tree in the courtyard. He put his hands on his hips and scolded, “If you’re looking for a place to pee, there are bathrooms you uncivilized animal.”

Virgil’s head snapped up, and he growled. He marched up to Damian and said, “This is Patton’s favorite tree. I was smelling to see if I could get a fresh scent.”

“Well?” Damian asked as he rose a brow.

Virgil ran a hand through his hair and tugged. He mumbled, “Nothing.”

“Great,” Damian said with a light laugh. “We don’t know where Patton is, we’re two hours away from the full moon, and your ‘oh so helpful’ nose is smelling the wrong tree. What a successful team we are.”

“Hey, I don’t see you using your echolocation bat thing to help us out! Why don’t you do that?”

“That’s not how that works,” Damian grumbled. He turned on his heel and started to walk away.

Virgil ran to catch up with him. “Well, at least from the sky, we could have a bird’s eye view. He might be walking around with him.”

“Probably not. Remy doesn’t do anything that makes more work than necessary.”

“Just try, damn it!” 

Damian flinched and stopped in his tracks. His head turned to Virgil, a silver toothed grin creeping on his face. “Sure, why not? I’m sure it won’t be a complete waste of time or anything.”

“What’s your deal!” Virgil jabbed a finger in Damian’s general direction. “Why do you have to be such an asshole?”

“Me?” Damian put a hand to his chest. “I’m offended. I thought it was you who decided you didn’t like me.”

“Yeah, because you’re a selfish, self-absorbed prick.”

“And me being a vampire has absolutely nothing to do with it.”

“I-” Virgil’s voice cut out with a snarl- “I- It’s just how vampires are! You can’t be trusted.”

“We can’t be trusted? Since when has a werewolf ever been nice to a vampire?”

“Well, if your kind didn’t screw it up for us all those years ago, maybe we wouldn’t even be in this mess to begin with.”

Damian held up a hand. “Hold on. What are you talking about?”

“Um, only _the_ legend? What’s the matter? Don’t they teach you that in vampire school? You guys betrayed the humans and killed our leader.”

“That’s not the story I heard.”

“Oh yeah? Well, how does yours go?”

Damian took a deep breath, and he explained, “Vampires didn’t exist when the werewolves came into those humans’ lives. In fact, werewolves didn’t exist either. There were other native tribes living on the land before the humans came, and the humans settled on the native’s territory. They said they wanted to be friends. They said the two clans could be brothers. The original clan was stupid, and they let them into their territory.”

Virgil stayed quiet as Damian told his story. He never heard this legend before.

Damian continued, “The longer these new people stayed, the more land they took from the natives. They started to treat the natives as second class citizens and push them out of their homes. The tribe tried to fight back, but these humans… they didn’t fight fair. They nearly slaughtered every last tribe member. All but one, the great leader Kanatase.”

Virgil’s sour face turned into one of discomfort. He shuffled his feet.

“Kanatase ran for sanctuary in the forest. Having lost the only family he had, he collapsed of exhaustion and found himself waking in the house of a witch. She nursed him back to health and listened to his woes. All he wanted was his family back. He would give anything, he told her. The understanding witch gave him the ability to raise his family back from the dead. All he had to do was steal the blood of a living human to give it to his dead family.”

Virgil’s stomach twisted. He never heard anything about those humans killing the people before them. Of course, with werewolves not being around before the natives, who would tell? What human would say “oh, yeah, we killed the natives and stole their land so thanks for protecting us”?

Damian’s expression hardened as he wrapped up his story. “That night, Kanatase snuck into the human leader’s tent. He met the werewolf alpha and told him the story. Furious that they were tricked, the werewolf leader tried to help Kanatase kill the human, but the human fatally shot the werewolf alpha before he could. Enraged, Kanatase killed the human’s leader, and he continued to do it to anyone who tried to get in his way. With that much bloodshed, he’d have enough blood to bring his entire clan back to life, and he did.”

“Well shit,” Virgil whispered.

“What? You think we just waltzed in and killed the humans because we wanted to?” Damian asked. Virgil’s sheepish expression answered him. Damian sighed and shook his head. He continued, “They both claimed we were monsters, but they started it all, and they turned us against each other in the process.”

“How do I know you’re not making this all up?” Virgil asked, his eyes narrowing.

Damian’s grin returned, and he replied, “Because I know Kanatase. He could tell you the whole story.”

“He’s still alive?” Virgil asked.

“Yes. In fact, here he comes.”

Virgil turned as someone jogged up to him. Their dark skin and hair made it look like they were a running sweater vest and khakis with shoes. They stopped a few feet away from Virgil and Damian, and Virgil could smell death rolling off this person like low tide.

“Hey, Doc,” Damian greeted.

“Have either of you found Patton yet?” they asked, their eyes flipping between Virgil and Damian. For a moment, they remembered they had manners, and they held out their hand to shake. “Nice to meet you, by the way. I’m Emile Picani.”

Virgil curled his lip and didn’t shake it. Damian chuckled beside him.

“Don’t take offense. He’s not friendly,” Damian said.

“Oh,” was all Emile answered with. 

“I thought you said this guy’s name was Kanatase,” Virgil grumbled.

“Kanatase,” Emile said with a light laugh. “That’s a name I haven’t been called in a while."

Virgil's head slowly turned toward Damian, who flashed a toothy grin of victory. 

Emile's smile dropped again. “You’re starting to sweat. Have the two of you been running?”

“Like chickens with our heads cut off. We’re going in circles,” Virgil growled.

“Did you check Remy’s dorm?”

“Duh. That’s the first place we looked.”

Emile rubbed his hand under his glasses and sighed. He asked, “Alright, what about the coffee shop?”

“Checked. No scent there either.”

“The bar down the road?”

“I ain’t going anywhere near a bar,” Damian grumbled.

Emile’s eyes widened. “Sorry.”

“S’fine.”

“I could check there for you. If we split up, we might find them faster.”

“Already split,” Virgil reminded, “but sure, Fred.”

“Oh, a Scooby-Doo reference,” Emile’s dark eyes lit up.

Virgil’s eyes shifted down, and he mumbled, “Yeah, what of it?”

“Alright, Shag and Scoob, good luck!” Emile said as he turned on his heel and toward the bar, leaving Virgil and Damian flabbergasted and offended behind him.

\--

“Logan, please slow down!” Roman called out. He cursed himself for not practicing his cardio more as he took off down the winding college pathways. Logan stayed a few yards in front of him, determination on his brow. Though, from the way Logan would pause, look two ways, then dart off in a totally different direction, he didn’t know where he was going either. Roman wondered if he even followed Logan at this rate. It was unusual to see such a calculated man take such indecisive directions.

Logan stopped dead in the middle of a pathway in the woods, his chest heaving as he took sharp breaths. Roman slowed to a stop behind him. He put his hands on his knees as he panted.

“I was sure,” Logan said as he turned his head about, “I was sure I smelled him.”

“Well, I don’t think you did,” Roman said through his breathing. He slowly walked up to Logan’s side. “Logan-”

“I have to find him, Roman,” Logan said as he glanced down at the ground. His wild eyes darted back and forth on the path like he read a novel before he squeezed them shut. “I have to find him. I can’t just… I can’t leave him here without knowing he’s okay.”

Roman studied him for a moment before responding, “I know.”

“Why would he close himself off like this? It doesn’t make sense. Patton has always told me what’s going on in his life. Why would he choose now to avoid the situation?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really know Patton that well,” Roman admitted. He smiled and put a hand on Logan’s shoulder. Logan didn’t shrug it off.

“Did I do something wrong? Was it something I said? Is it because I haven’t been spending the full moons with him? I thought he understood my knowledge of being a werewolf was important. I have to learn how to be one if I’m going to get a handle on myself every full moon. And now-” he glanced at his watch- “now it’s too late. I’m going to shift in a frantic state, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“Hey,” Roman said as he walked to Logan’s front. He cupped Logan’s cheeks in his hands and raised his head. Logan’s misty eyes stared back at him, and Roman’s heart nearly broke. He put on as gentle of a smile as he could muster, “You have my word that I will not let anything bad happen during this full moon.”

“You cannot predict the future, Roman. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“But I can promise to keep you from hurting anyone. You and I… we have a bond not many wolves have. I turned you. I can help you, and I promise I will not abandon you during this shift. You have my word.”

Logan swallowed hard. Roman’s gentle smile eased his stiff muscles. Logan let his neck muscles relax, and soon Roman’s hands were the only thing holding his head up. He let his eyes close, breathing in Roman’s comforting scent. It wasn’t as comforting as Patton’s, but it was the closest he’d get. His mind cleared a bit.

“Thank you,” he responded at last.

“Anything for you, Ada Logelace,” Roman said with a smile. 

Logan pushed past Roman’s hands, and his arms wrapped around Roman’s chest. Roman stiffened, realized what had happened, and let his own arms circle around Logan. He let Logan rest his head in the crook of his neck and rubbed circles in the small of Logan’s back.

“Roman?”

“Hmm?”

“Tell no one of this.”

Roman’s lips pulled into a smile. He let out a singular laugh through his nose, and responded, “Of course.”

Logan let go of Roman, his fingertips sliding off Roman’s skin and sending goosebumps through his chest. He pulled out his phone and stared at Patton’s name upon his screen, his picture still smiling back at him. He let out a long sigh and tried again, not very hopeful for an answer.

“Hello?”

Logan’s eyes widened. “Patton!”

“Yeah.” If it wasn’t for Logan’s good hearing, he wouldn’t be able to hear him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m… managing.” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose as he said, “Patton, please tell me where you are.”

“Are… are you still looking for me?”

“Yes.”

“But, Logan, the full moon-”

“I know,” Logan snapped. He lowered his voice again. “I know, but despite my previous actions the past two moons, I do want to spend it with you, Patton. I apologize if I made you feel unwanted.”

Patton’s gentle laugh preceded his words. “Aww, Logan, it wasn’t anything you did wrong.”

“Then please clarify. Why are you so against going with me?”

“Because… well because it wasn’t making me happy.”

Logan blinked. “Explain. Please.”

“Well,” Patton sighed, “I don’t want to choose between werewolves and vampires. I want to be both of my friends.”

“Who is making you choose?”

“Well,” Patton paused again, “Cora said that I shouldn’t be friends with Damian because of something that happened in the past, but Damian is my friend. I don’t want to stop just because someone told me to.”

“Well, has Damian ever given you a reason to not be his friend? Has he made you uncomfortable?”

Roman came closer, his ears perking up on the conversation. Logan put the phone on speaker so he could hear.

“No, he hasn’t.” 

“Then I fail to see a reason why we can’t reach some sort of agreement.” Logan’s eyes flickered to Roman, who sighed and scratched his head.

“I had a theory this had something to do with Damian, but I didn’t think it was because my aunt said something about Patton being friends a vampire,” Roman mumbled. “My aunt is… prejudice. She, unfortunately, poisoned Virgil’s mind as well, but thankfully I’ve tried to stay as open-minded as possible. If Patton doesn’t wish to choose one of us over the other, I… I will speak to my family about it.”

Patton, who heard everything Roman said, sighed happily into the phone. Logan sent a glimmer of a smile to Roman, who returned a wider one.

“Patton, where are you?” Logan asked.

“Oh! Um, Remy and I are in one of the abandoned classrooms above the Science building. Ya know, the ones that are supposed to be haunted.”

“Why?” Logan asked.

“He wanted to make sure no one bothered us.”

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Thank you, Patton. We’re coming to get you, Roman and I.”

“Okay. We’ll be here.”

“And Patton?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you promise to tell me the next time something like this bothers you so we can avoid it in the future?”

A small pause occurred before Patton replied, “Okay, I promise.”

“Thank you.” Logan hung up the phone. He looked at Roman, who shook his head and rubbed his neck.

“Well, the sooner we find Patton, the sooner we can figure out what to do for our shift,” Roman said. He could already see the corner of the moon peeking above the trees. “It’s too late now to drive home.”

Rustling in the treeline caught both their attention. A strong smell of death whispered in the trees, and both wolves stiffened. Roman stood in front of Logan, teeth bared and a low growl rumbling an answer.

A dark figure emerged, and Logan pushed Roman’s hand away. He blinked a few times to make sure his eyes didn’t deceive him. “Emile?”

“Logan,” Emile said with a happy smile. He ignored Roman’s confusion and continued, “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else. What are you doing here?”

“Truthfully, I can ask you the same thing. You do realize it’s nearly ten at night?”

“Ah, yeah,” Emile said as he rubbed his neck. “I’m, uh, looking for a family member of mine. Maybe you’ve seen him? His name is Remy.”

Roman brightened as he replied, “What a coincidence! We are also looking for a relative of ours who happens to be with Remy. His name is Patton.”

“He knows who Patton is,” Logan mumbled.

“Oh,” Emile’s smile struggled to stay on his face. “Well, then, maybe we can help each other.”

“Perhaps we can,” Logan said. He relayed the location Patton gave him, and the trio took off toward the Science building. Roman called Virgil and Damian while Logan and Emile caught up on life. Apparently they were both surprised to learn each other were monsters, though Logan was far more intrigued in Emile’s story than his own. Roman also listened with an attentive ear. He wondered if his family knew the true origin story of vampires and they weren’t just boogeymen that killed humans.

“So now, anyone turned into a vampire has to keep feeding to keep themselves alive, or the magic wears off and they die,” Emile explained.  
  
“Fascinating. How long can you go without consuming blood?”

“Me? Oh, I can get away with not feeding for two weeks. In fact, I can still eat human foods if I want. I’m not cursed like turned vampires, so-”

“I hate to interrupt, but we’re here,” Roman announced.

Logan had more he wanted to ask Emile, but his instinct to find Patton took over. He rushed forward, taking the stairs two at a time. The threat of the shift ached in his bones. He stumbled on a few stairs, but every time Emile asked if he needed help, he pushed him away. Roman, who also felt the pains, said he’d meet them at the top. Logan assumed Roman was going to shift at the bottom of the stairs and meet them there as a wolf.

Patton’s scent hung heavy in the air, as did the scent of pizza. The abandoned Science hall’s burned tiles loomed over them, not a light flickering to set the atmosphere. The drafts of unpaved cracks in the wall chilled Logan’s bones and caused him to stop. He fell to his knees on the floor and tried to catch his breath.

“Logan?” Emile said as he rushed to Logan’s side. 

Logan pushed him away as sweat lined his brow. He said through strained, pointed teeth, “It’s alright, Emile. I’m simply changing. Everything will be-”

Logan yelled, and it echoed through the halls. His forehead pressed against the icy marble floor. For a moment, his vision fuzzed out. Patton’s scent rushed into the room. Logan rose his head and barely made out Patton’s shape. His growing tail wagged behind him as material ripped and gave Logan room to lunge forward into waiting arms.

Patton cried out as Logan tackled him. He tried to push Logan’s head away, but Logan’s attack left long trails of spit on Patton’s cheeks and cut his vision in half. Patton started to laugh and spit away Logan’s germs.

“Oh, come on, Logan, let me up,” Patton choked out.

Remy and Emile caught each other’s eye on the other side of the hall. They both observed the encounter, neither daring to get any closer. Padded feet by the staircase caught their attention. A white wolf, which Emile assumed to be Roman, hurried to Logan’s side.

“Come now, Logan. I thought you didn’t give public displays of emotion,” Roman teased.

“Aww, Roman, it’s just a bit of puppy love,” Patton joked.

Logan stopped licking to send an unamused look toward Patton. He turned his head back to glance at Roman, but Remy caught his attention instead. A low growl rumbled through Logan’s chest and shook Patton.

“No, no, Logan, it’s okay,” Patton assured him. He struggled into a sitting position, keeping his arms locked around Logan’s muscular neck. He knew push came to shove that Logan had much more muscle than he did, but he hoped he could persuade him to stay still regardless. “Remy’s a friend. He didn’t hurt me. I’m okay.”

Logan’s stillness eased into relaxed muscles, and he pushed Patton back down to lay on top of him. Patton sighed and spit fur out of his mouth.

“I don’t think you’re going anywhere for a while, Pup-dre,” Roman said with a laugh. 

“I guess it is my fault,” Patton mumbled. He wished Logan would at least let him move his left arm into a more comfortable position. Already he could feel his fingertips growing numb.

Heavy pawsteps followed flapping wings, and soon two new characters entered the playing field. Virgil’s eyes landed on every person in front of him, but his fur rose as Remy’s silhouette in the moonlight clarified. He let out a loud snarl and bark. Remy hissed, his fangs bared. The bat above Virgil landed on the ground and shifted back into its human form.

“Well done. You finally found them,” Damian mused.

Virgil’s head snapped up to him. “Shut it, guano stain.”

“Oh, poop humor. How mature.”

“Hey, Virge. Hey, Damo,” Patton’s voice nervously called through the hall. “Glad you could make it to the Howl-o-ween party.”

Virgil walked up to Patton, his nose checking for any sign of injury. However, nothing caused alarm. He licked the side of Patton’s face and sat beside him.

“Now what?” Virgil asked. “I mean, we can technically walk home, but I’m exhausted from running all over the place.”

“Well, this place is abandoned,” Roman said. “We could continue to stay here for the night. It’s not like anyone will come looking for us.”

“Yeah, not unless our pack gets worried,” Virgil mumbled. Logan’s head turned to him, and Virgil answered, “No, they won’t, not with the puppies.”

Roman laid on the ground and stretched out his paws. He yawned and rested his head on the ground. “Well, I for one second the exhaustion notion. You sure made yourself hard to find, Pat.”

“Well, I kinda didn’t want to be found, kiddo,” Patton said with a sigh, “but I guess if I can still be friends with Damian and Remy and Emile, then I guess I’ll stay packed into your family.”

“It’s going to be a tough sell,” Roman replied, “but I’m sure I could work something out.”

“_We_ could work something out,” Virgil corrected him. “There is no ‘I’ in ‘pack’.”

“Yes, yes, _we_ can work something out,” Roman said with an eye roll. His gaze settled on Emile, who sat down on the ground where he was.

Emile spoke, “Well, I’m not sure what werewolves do during full moons, but I’m sure I could get my laptop out to watch movies on Netflix.”

“Ah yes, I hear they just added ‘Princess and the Frog’!” Roman said as his tail thumped.

“Netflix it is,” Emile said as he pulled his laptop out of his bag. He set it up, hoping the electrical sockets still had power leading to them by some miracle (they surprisingly did), and the group huddled around the laptop to watch movies. 

Patton fell asleep somewhere during the middle against Logan, his soft snores causing Emile to turn the volume up a bit. Roman stayed between Damian and Virgil, even though it seemed they called a truce for the night. Remy sat to Logan’s left, not close enough to Patton to upset the overprotective wolf but enough to see the screen.

For the first time in almost three centuries, werewolves and vampires shared the same space without a fuss.

A new scent filled the air, one that put the werewolves on edge. Roman rose to his paws while Virgil let out a low growl. Logan wrapped his head tighter around Patton. The vampires all gave the werewolves weird looks. What did they hear?

Another growl, one over by the staircase, echoed down the hall. That alerted the vampires. Emile paused the movie while Remy rose to his feet, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. Damian’s eyes flicked to Patton, who still slept soundly through the encounter somehow.

“There you are,” a voice spoke from the stairs, low and feminine. “We were worried when you-”

A black and white wolf stopped in its tracks at the end of the hall. It observed the scene before it. Its teeth bared as a snarl ripped through its jaw, and its fur bristled all down its back.

Roman stepped forward and said, “Aunt Cora, we can explain-”

“Shut it! I can’t believe you. After all my stories. After all my warnings. After everything I’ve told you about vampires, I find you here, on the night of the full moon, with not one but three of them!” Cora snapped. Her eyes flickered to Virgil. “And you! I’m surprised at you the most. I thought you were smart enough to keep the pack and yourself out of danger.”

“Please listen!” Roman barked back. “They’re not going to hurt us. They’re-”

“Do you know how worried Dot and Larry were about you three when you didn’t come home for the full moon? I thought I’d find you in a car wreck on the side of the road or dead with a silver bullet to the chest,” Cora continued, “but I never thought it could get worse than that.”

“Aren’t you being a little dramatic?” Damian spoke up.

“Shut it, flea breath!” Cora snapped her jaw and snarled.

“Now, now, let’s all calm down,” Emile said as he rose to his feet. He put on as friendly of a smile as he could muster and cleared his throat. “I’m sure we could reach some sort of agreement.”

“Yeah, that the only good vampire is a dead one.” Cora raced forward, teeth bared and claws extended. That woke Patton, who looked around in a daze. However, he woke up quickly as a wolf charged straight for them.

Roman raced forward to meet his aunt. He crashed into her, sending Cora flailing to the right with a yelp. Roman bared his teeth.

“Listen!” Roman growled. “These are our friends! They won’t hurt us.”

“Like hell they won’t,” Cora snarled as she rose back onto her paws. She lunged at Roman, who missed getting teeth in his neck by a fraction of a second. Fur ripped off his chest. Roman yelped in surprise. Cora continued, “They charm their way into your heart, then before you know it, you find teeth at your neck. They’re parasites!”

Cora jumped, and she pushed Roman down. He landed on his side with a yelp. Cora pinned him down with her paw and sent a low growl his way.

“Wait, please stop fighting!” Patton cried as he stood up. Logan followed him, his head hanging protectively under Patton’s fingertips. “It’s my fault they didn’t get home in time for the shift. If they didn’t come looking for me, none of this would’ve happened.”

“You,” Cora’s attention snapped to Patton, and Logan let out a low growl. “I warned you. I told you not to get involved with vampires, and you didn’t listen. Are you trying to get everyone in the pack killed?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Remy grumbled. “I wouldn’t stain my clothes with wolf blood.”

“You stay out of this!” Cora snapped.

“Hard to, really, since we’re already involved,” Damian said as he stood at Patton’s side. He put a hand on Patton’s shoulder in support. “The only one who seems to have a problem with werewolves and vampires being together is you.”

Cora raced forward, aimed straight for Damian. However, Virgil met her in the middle, his fur raised. He took a snap at Cora, who flinched off to the side. With a bark, she bounced back into Virgil, tackling him to the floor as well. Roman raced forward. His teeth dug into his aunt’s scruff. With a strong tug, he pulled his aunt down to the floor. 

“Get off!” Cora yelped. Virgil shook his fur as he watched his brother pin their aunt to the ground. 

“Get Patton and the vampires out of here,” Roman growled through clenched teeth.

“I’m not leaving you with her,” Virgil said back.

“The longer they stay, the more danger they’re in. Virgil, for once in your life, listen to me!”

Virgil hesitated, his ears flattened against his skull. Cora lashed under Roman in a desperate move to escape. Roman’s jaw held. He moved to get a better grip. 

“Now Virgil! Please!”

Virgil shook from his stony resolve. He turned toward the group of misfits, who watched him all for leadership. Suddenly, he felt small. He ran forward to Patton, earning a glare from Logan, and pushed his head into Patton’s hip.

“Move,” he ordered.

Patton objected, “But, Roman-”

“He can handle this. Trust him. We have to get the vampires out of here before Cora hurts them,” Virgil responded.

Emile sent Patton a look, one that made Patton’s will to protect Roman crack, and Patton sighed. He followed Virgil down the abandoned hallways, the group of misfits on their trail.

“Ya know, when I said you should choose whether or not to stay with your pack, I didn’t think they’d like come after us or anything,” Remy mumbled.

“Really? A pack of close bonded animals wouldn’t come looking for their missing member. How preposterous,” Damian snarked. 

“I never said I was smart, okay? I had to sacrifice something to look this good,” Remy snapped back.

“Boys, nevermind that now,” Emile said. “What matters now is that we keep the werewolves from being seen and keep ourselves from getting bit.”

“What happens if we get bit?” Remy asked.

Emile glared at him through the corner of his eyes. Remy swallowed, and he shared a look with Damian. Damian didn’t say a word, but by the look on his face, he knew the answer to Remy’s question, and it wasn’t something Remy wanted to find out any more.

The hallway led to a staircase at the end of the hall. Virgil jumped and slammed his paws into the door. It swung open and banged into the wall. He raced toward the steps. The others followed on his heels. Virgil slid to a stop halfway down.

“The stairs collapsed,” Virgil explained.

Emile responded, “I wouldn’t be surprised. This place was built back in the 1800s, and it hasn’t been maintained since the 50s after the fire.” 

“Now what?” Remy asked. “If we go back there, we’re dog chow.”

“There has to be another way out,” Patton said. Logan brushed up against his side, and Patton ran his fingers through Logan’s fur. They could hear the echo of Roman's howl as he fought with Cora. Going back wasn't an option. 

Emile rubbed his chin then snapped his fingers. “There was an emergency staircase by the janitor’s closet. People used to go in there to- ahem- because no one ever visited it. It might still be strong enough to hold us.”

Virgil turned his head back to face Emile. He nodded his head and said, “Lead the way.”

Emile led the group down back down the hall. He took a right and opened a door that cracked and creaked like a horror movie. Dust floated into the empty air, causing Virgil to sneeze. Patton screamed. He clung onto Damian, who happened to be right behind him, and buried his face into Damian’s chest. It caught Logan’s attention, who studied the interaction with not hostility but curiosity.

“Relax, Pattycakes, it’s just spiders,” Remy said beside him.

“They’re not just spiders,” Patton whimpered into Damian’s chest. “They’re _huge_ spiders.”

Logan rubbed his head into Patton’s hip. Virgil translated for him, “He said they’re cellar spiders and can’t hurt you.”

That answer only made Patton bury his head deeper into Damian’s shoulder. Damian ran a comforting hand over Patton’s back. Patton peeked out of Damian’s shoulder to meet Emile’s eye.

“You’re sure this is the only way?” Patton asked.

Emile sent him a sorry look. Patton whined, and he tried to take a step forward. A spider darted out from the dark, and Patton yelled. He backed into Damian’s chest and tried to catch his breath. His heart pounded as sweat lined his palms.

“I can’t do this!” Patton cried. “J-just go down without me. I’ll be okay.”

“We are not leaving you behind,” Virgil responded. “If anything, the vampires can escape and we’ll stay here. Cora isn’t after them.”

Patton’s resolve hardened for a moment. “I’m not abandoning them.”

“Well, it’s either that or you literally face your fear,” Remy responded. “And quite honestly, I’m fine leaving you here.” Remy earned a hiss from Damian. 

“Just go,” Virgil told the vampires. “We’ll be fine.”

Remy, Emile, and Damian all shared a glance. Remy was already halfway out the door, but Damian didn’t move from his spot behind Patton. In fact, his grip on Patton’s shoulder increased, and he sent Remy a dirty look. Remy flashed his fangs in a hiss.

“I can’t believe Mr. Self Perservation himself is arguing to stay behind with some crazy wolf out to kill us,” Remy snapped.

“Hey, watch it,” Virgil growled. “That’s still my aunt.”

“Can’t give two shits if she’s out to kill us, babe.”

Emile’s worried look caused Damian to release his grip on Patton’s shoulder for a moment. Damian took a deep breath and lowered his head. He explained, “If we run, it’s not going to fix any of this, and Patton is still stuck in the middle.”

“I’ll be fine,” Patton argued.

“It’s my fault you’re in this mess, isn’t it?” Damian asked. “I’m the reason you stood up to Cora about vampires. You didn’t want to stop being my friend, so you ran off to protect yourself. I get it.” Patton blinked. His head drooped down until he stared down at the floor. Damian put both his hands on Patton’s shoulders. “You could’ve said something to me. We could’ve figured something out together. I’m the master of deception, remember?”

“I can’t ask you to do that, Damo,” Patton said and put a hand on Damian’s wrist. “You could get killed.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Damian joked. Patton didn’t laugh, and Damian returned with, “You didn’t leave me, so I’m not going to leave you.”

A yelp echoed down the hall. Virgil’s head snapped up, and his ears flattened against his head.

“That was Roman,” he whined. His paws danced on the floor as he tried to decide what to do.

“Go. Protect your family,” Emile said. Virgil sent him a worried look. Emile’s sad smile urged him faster, and Virgil sprinted down the hall.

“At this rate, all the wolves will be gone anyway,” Remy snarked. Emile’s face hardened, and he turned on his phone’s flashlight to examine the abandoned stairway. The walls had large cracks leading past the rails, and a few steps looked ready to splinter apart at any moment. Some were burned from the fire, and others were completely missing.

“‘N’ to the ‘O’ to the ‘P’ to the ‘E’,” Remy sang. “There’s no way I’m risking my neck on that stairwell.”

“You can fly,” Damian growled. “It’s Logan and Patton that need a way out.”

“I’m still okay with leaving them here.”

Damian left Patton’s side to pick up Remy by the shirt collar and pin him up against the wall. Remy cried out in surprise and bared his fangs. He snapped at Damian.

“Listen here, you little shit,” Damian hissed. “Patton can blame himself for this mess all he wants, but I know if it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t even be here. Hell, he probably could’ve fixed this on his own, but you had to go and make it worse. The least you can do is grow a spine and try to fix your goddamn mistake.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with looking out for yourself,” Remy responded. “You of all people should know that.”

“Boys, please!” Emile yelled as he tried to pull Damian off Remy. “This isn’t helping anyone! Now, can we work together and get out of this as a team?”

Virgil’s bark echoed in the distance, followed by another snarl. Silence flooded the halls. Patton held his breath. The only noise was Logan’s short whine.

“Blood,” Emile whispered. “There’s more of it.”

Patton covered his mouth, and he whimpered. Logan brushed his shoulder into Patton’s side. Patton looked at Damian, his eyes watery with tears.

“Please go. I can’t let anyone else get hurt tonight because of me,” Patton urged.

Damian opened his mouth to argue. He would’ve too if black fur with white and red patches didn’t turn around the corner and race toward them. Golden eyes glared as paws thundered down the tiles.

Emile stood in front of his clan and gave a sharp hiss. His fingernails extended into claws. Cora jumped toward him. Emile slashed his claws across her nose, earning a yelp. Her teeth missed his neck as Emile sidestepped. She landed on the floor and pawed at her muzzle.

“You’ll pay for that,” she growled.

Logan stepped up to Emile’s side, his fur bristled and teeth bared. His nails dug into the floor as he stood his ground. Cora leaped. Emile lunged. The two of them smashed together, and Cora got the upper hand. Her paws pinned Emile onto his back. Emile scratched at her limbs to try and escape. Cora’s jaw opened, and she lunged down. She bit into Logan’s fur, who rushed forward to push her off Emile. Logan yelped. His shoulder rammed into her, knocking her onto the floor and giving Emile enough time to scramble away.

“What is wrong with you!” Cora growled.

Patton rushed forward to observe the deep bite in Logan’s neck. Logan already stood on his feet, mostly unaffected, and gave Patton a nervous lick.

“Us? What’s wrong with you?” Patton asked and scrunched up his brow. “You’re attacking your family!”

“They’re attacking me first,” Cora responded. “Obviously these vampires did something to you. They charmed you, just like they did those humans, but don’t worry. I see them for what they truly are. Monsters, all of them. I won’t let them harm you any further.”

“You’re crazy lady,” Remy snapped.

“None of us thought of hurting anyone before you showed up,” Damian added.

“Shut it, guano stains,” Cora growled.

“Now, there’s no need for name-calling,” Emile snapped. “Can’t we just talk this out?”

“I’m through talking,” Cora snapped. She lunged at Emile once again. Emile hissed. He snapped his jaw, teeth meeting flesh, and ripped a chunk off Cora's shoulder. Nails dug into Cora's ribs and left an angry red trail. Cora screamed. She tumbled onto the ground. Emile spit the fur and flesh out of his mouth. Cora's legs shook as she stood back up. 

“Now, can we be civilized about this?” Emile asked as he wiped Cora’s blood from his lips. “I really don’t want to hurt anyone, but this is getting a little out of hand.”

Cora stayed still, her eyes fixed on Emile. For a moment, it looked like she gave up. Her steely gaze melted into something softer, like amusement. Her head tilted to the side.

Emile coughed. He coughed again, and his hands flew to his throat. Chunks of deep brown blood leaked from his mouth. Emile collapsed onto his hands and knees. He vomited darker blood, almost black. 

"Jesus," Damian mumbled and covered his nose with his hands. 

"What the fuck did you do to him?" Remy hissed. 

“Oh, I may have just had a tiny bit of garlic before I came. Nothing special,” Cora responded, her jaws widening into a fanged smirk. Both vampires hissed at her. Her shoulder already started to heal, as did the wounds across her ribs. She mocked surprise, “Oh, what’s wrong? Does garlic hurt pureblood vampires? How horrible.”

“Bitch, you’ll pay for that,” Remy snarled. He lunged forward, teeth bared and ignoring Damian’s warning for him to be careful.

Unlike Emile, Remy wasn’t against changing his size to fight. He flapped around Cora’s head. Cora snapped several times but missed each time. Damian shifted into a bat as well and started dive-bombing his tiny claws onto Cora’s body. As soon as Cora would pursue one bat, the other would dive-bomb her and catch her attention once again. 

“What are they doing?” Patton whispered to himself. He looked at Logan, wishing the wolf could speak to him. Patton instead ran to Emile’s side, rubbing circles on his back. “Emile, how can I help?”

Emile tried to look up, but he fell over. Patton caught the vampire in his arms and rolled him onto his back. Black veins traveled up his neck and reached the base of his jaw. His pupils were dilated, swallowing any red from before.

“C-call Cassie,” Emile said. He reached in his pocket but didn’t have the strength to pull it out. “She’ll help.”

Patton recalled the name from his encounter in Damian’s bedroom. Patton pulled out Emile’s phone and scrolled through the contacts. He found Cassie’s name and hit call.

A sweet voice on the other end picked up, “Hey Doc.”

“Um, this is Patton. I’m with Emile,” Patton explained. “He needs your help.”

The other end of the phone grew quiet. Patton picked his head up, and he watched Logan join in on stalling Cora.

Cassie answered, “Where are you?”

“The abandoned science building. Please hurry. I think he’s been poisoned with garlic.”

"I'll be there soon."

Cassie hung up the phone. Patton looked up in time to see Cora pin one bat under her foot. The other cried out unhappily. Logan was struggling to get to his feet, and the bat under Cora screeched a horrible noise that pulled on Patton’s heartstrings.

Remy changed his size in the air. He crashed down onto Cora and pinned her neck down. However, her strength well outmatched his, and she easily tossed him off. Cora found her footing once again. She grabbed onto his pants leg and whipped him around on the floor. Remy yelled as he slipped across the tile and nearly off the first step of the stairs. If he didn’t grab onto the stair railing, he would’ve tumbled down. Cora jumped again. Remy couldn’t find his balance in time to protect himself. Jaws aimed for his neck. Remy’s eyes widened, and all his muscles clenched.

Instead of landing on Remy, Cora went sailing off to the side. Hands wrapped around Cora’s neck. Remy watched someone drag Cora to the ground. Cora’s weight pushed them both down the stairs, tumbling limb over limb to the bottom. A few steps broke under their combined weight. Cora yelped out several times before they landed on the ground, a mass of fur and flesh.

Remy blinked several times, trying to wrap his head around what happened.

“Oh my god,” Damian cried out as he came to Remy’s side. He peered over the edge of the stairs, his eyes wide. Logan rushed to his side, a whimper and bark escaping him.

“What happened?” Remy asked from his spot on the floor. 

Damian’s eyes flared red. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Patton, you okay down there?”

The fresh scent of blood hit Remy’s nose like a tidal wave. He could feel his own irises flooding with crimson as his pupils dilated. Remy twisted to get a better look down the stairs.

Cora laid off to the side, unmoving. A fall like that wouldn’t kill her, but she’d probably wake up with a sore everything. Beside her, Patton lay on his side (his arm shouldn’t have been bent that way), his glasses far out of reach across the floor. A red puddle formed under his head. 

Damian shifted into a bat and fluttered down the staircase, or at least tried to. His right wing wasn’t working right. He flopped halfway down the stairs, reformed at the bottom, and put his fingers to Patton’s neck. A long sigh left his lips as his shoulders slacked.

“He’s still alive,” he called back. 

Logan’s paws danced on the floor. He wanted more than anything to see Patton, but he knew that the stairs weren’t safe.

“God damn it,” Remy hissed as he ran his hands through his hair. “What the fuck was he thinking? How did he think he was going to go up against a werewolf and win? Why’d he-” his voice cracked- “why’d he do that?”

“Because, unlike you, he gives a shit about people,” Damian snarked. He turned Patton over in his arms. Patton’s blood, blood he never wanted to see on his hands, soaked his shirt. He picked him up and held him close. A pained expression crossed Patton’s face, and Damian made sure Patton’s injured arm was cradled and wouldn’t move too much.“I’m running him to the hospital. Remy, stay with Emile. Don’t let him die either.”

“How the fuck am I supposed to do that?” Remy snapped.

“I don’t know. Figure it out,” Damian snarled back. He sent a sorry look toward Logan before dashing out of the emergency exit and into the night.

The longer Damian ran, the harder it was for him to carry Patton. Not because he was getting hungry, but because Patton wasn’t moving. If it wasn’t for Patton’s breathing, Damian would’ve thought he lost another friend.

“Don’t you dare die on me,” Damian whispered to the limp body in his arms. “I swear to god I will bring you back to life so I can kill you myself.”

Of course, Patton didn’t answer, but Damian would give anything right now for him to rise from his dead sleep and give a stupid little pun that Damian secretly loved so much with that sunshine smile that melted Damian’s frozen, dead, cold heart.

Patton’s heartbeat grew weaker under his touch. If he didn’t hurry- but he wasn’t fast enough. It’d been too long since he fed, and with all the excitement of the fight, he’d used too much energy. 

Damian eyed the wound on Patton’s forehead. He shouldn’t. Patton couldn’t consent. However, if he didn’t, Patton wouldn’t be around to consent ever again. Besides, it wouldn't count as a bite if he just licked the blood on his forehead, right? 

With a mumbled apology, Damian licked the blood off of Patton’s forehead. Patton’s blood was sweet, sweeter than most blood he’d tasted. It must’ve been AB negative. Of course it also could’ve been all the sweets Patton consumed, but that was a theory for another day. Damian’s legs tingled with extra strength, and after a few more laps, Damian’s speed doubled.

Now all Damian had to do was save Patton.

After praying to every deity Damian no longer believed in, he finally made it to the hospital and explained that Patton fell down a flight of stairs and needed emergency care. The nurse commented on his red eyes, but Damian didn’t know if they were red from crying or their natural lust for blood, and honestly, he didn't care. Once the doctors finished scolding Damian for moving Patton and possibly causing more damage than was already done, they braced Patton's neck and moved him into emergency care. The last sight Damian got was Patton trying to whisper something but unable to free his words from his throat.

Damian collapsed into a hospital chair. He didn't care if people gave him strange looks for being covered in blood. He didn't care about what color his eyes were or if he was human passing. All he cared about was getting through his least favorite activity. 

Waiting.

\--

By some miracle, Patton only suffered from a fractured skull and broken arm from the fall. Of course, when Damian said ‘only’, Logan went through all the five stages of grief within ten seconds, but he pulled together alright. Surprisingly, it was Virgil who freaked out the least, who was just happy Patton was alive (and thankful he didn’t see the fall) and Roman who went off the deep end, ranting about how it shouldn’t have happened and he was definitely going to tell his parents.

After all, just because a vampire broke his aunt’s heart did not give her the right to boss the rest of the pack around like this, especially not to the point of injury.

It also didn’t take long for their parents to leave several missed calls on their phones after they passed out in the waiting room. Damian intercepted Virgil’s phone and graciously answered on his behalf, explaining their sons had a busy night and they’d explain everything after their parents showed up at the hospital.

It also didn’t take long for Dot to turn three driving hours into two, and judging by Larry’s expression, it was not a pleasant ride.

“Where is he?” Dot asked as she rushed to the front desk. 

The receptionist glanced over the rim of their moon-shaped glasses and rose a brow, “You’re going to have to be more specific than that, ma’am.”

Larry said, “Patton, uh, Patton Shea. Which room?”

“Right now, Mr. Shea is only cleared for fam-”

“Mom, dad, you made it,” Damian announced as he strolled into the room. He gave Dot an awkward hug, who may or may not have pulled away when she smelled Damian. He gave Larry a pat on the shoulder before explaining, “These are my in-laws. They’re Patton’s adoptive parents.”

“Uh-huh,” the receptionist mumbled. They went back to their work, mumbling about how Damian could show them since their shift was over thirty minutes ago and their replacement just showed up.

The trio walked down the hall into Patton’s recovery room. Damian’s eyes lingered a little longer than it should have on the blood bag. For a moment, Damian wondered if it tasted just as sweet. As quickly as the thought came, Damian chased it away. He would _not_ be getting addicted to Patton’s blood in this Chili’s tonight. 

Logan, Virgil, and Roman already made themselves at home on the furniture, the only one awake being Roman. He rose to his feet as his parents entered the room.

“Mom-”

“Princeton Roman Lycaon, you have some explaining to do,” she scolded. Roman’s head lowered, and he nibbled his lip.

Dot went off. She mentioned how they were worried sick about the four of them all night long, and how Cora kept mentioning how worried they were, and how she had to wonder all night if her boys were dead somewhere, and how the puppies kept asking questions, and how Cora never came home either, and they could only assume the worst, and not even one phone call was made to tell them they were staying on campus for the shift in a safe location and no one should worry and maybe this wouldn’t have happened if they just called to give a heads up.

Roman took it. Judging by the resigned look on his face, Dot’s worried wrath was expected. However, she also paused at the end, her eyes full of tears, and wrapped her son into a tight hug. Roman buried his head into Dot’s shoulder, mumbling out a sorry, and Dot stroked her hands through his hair.

“I’m just happy everyone is alive,” she whispered.

Larry shared awkward eye contact with Damian, and Damian cleared his throat. Dot’s attention shifted to Damian, her eyes wary but not hateful.

“Roman did his best with what he could,” Damian responded. “Last night, in the words of a friend, was a ‘hot mess’ and no one was thinking clearly. Besides, hindsight is 20/20. There are a lot of things we all could’ve done differently.”

Dot eyed him over. She said, “I’m guessing you’re the vampire Patton tried to protect the last full moon.”

Damian’s lips quirked into a semblance of a smile as he responded, “Guilty.”

Roman’s head peeked out of Dot’s shoulder, and he explained, “If Damian didn’t get Patton to the hospital when he did, the doctors said Patton would’ve lost too much blood to recover. Thanks to Damian, Patton’s alive.”

Dot let out a long sigh. She let go of Roman and walked toward Damian. Damian took a step back, hesitated, and stood his ground. Dot wrapped her arms around him. The warm hug wasn’t exactly welcomed, but Damian accepted it nonetheless.

“Thank you,” Dot whispered into Damian’s chest. Damian glanced over to Larry, who also gave him a nod of approval.

“Don’t mention it,” Damian responded. “Seriously, please don’t. Last night was traumatic enough.”

“What happened to Aunt Cora?” Roman asked. “Last I saw of her, she was leaving the campus after Logan, Virgil, and I chased her off.”

“She took the puppies and went home, and I told her that she’s,” Dot swallowed, “she’s not allowed back to shift with us unless she cleans up her act. I will not have anyone threatening my family like she did.”

Roman visibly flinched. He played with his hands and sighed through his nose. He mumbled, “I’m sorry. This is all my fault-”

“Roman, that’s enough,” Dot scolded. “I can blame you for not calling, but I can’t blame you for the way Cora behaved. I knew she had a problem, but I didn’t think she’d attack my family over it, or I would’ve never allowed her back in my home.”

“I know. It’s just… it’s Remus all over again,” Roman mumbled. Dot recoiled as if hit. Larry shifted closer to her side, a hand on her shoulder in support.

Damian rose a brow, curious but obviously not going to get the answer judging by the uncomfortable reaction to the name drop. He moved one of the chairs out of the sunlight’s beam and sat heavily in its cushion.

“I don’t know about you, but having been up all night long, I’m exhausted. Please wake me when Patton is awake,” Damian mumbled. Roman flashed him a thumbs-up, and Damian let his eyes slip closed. Soon, he was snoring in his chair.

“And you’re sure he’s alright?” Dot asked Roman.

“None of the vampires last night hurt us,” Roman replied.

“Wait… vampire-ssss?” Dot asked.

Roman realized his mistake, and he cursed under his breath. “It’s a… really long story.”

Dot pinched her nose, mumbling a “jee-muh-nattie” under her breath. Larry rubbed her shoulders in support, and she seemed to relax a bit. 

“I don’t want to sound prejudice, Roman, but I sure hope these vampires weren’t the ones who antagonized Cora,” Larry mumbled.

“They didn’t. Cora came in teeth bared,” Roman explained.

Larry nodded his head in understanding. Dot put a hand on his, stopping his rubbing her shoulders.

“Well, let’s just agree to never let this happen again and talk to each other, okay?” Dot said.

Roman nodded his head. He sent a bright smile, putting on his brightest charm, and responding, “You have my word.”

\--

After Patton progressed enough to be released from the hospital, Virgil and Damian insisted on following him everywhere he went. If Patton was bothered by the overkill of affection, he didn’t say anything. Besides, this was the longest Virgil and Damian had stood near each other without tearing each other’s throats out, so it was a welcomed moment.

Since it was Patton’s dominant arm that was broken, he couldn’t do many things, and any attempts with his right arm were practically useless. This left the other two to pick up the slack, signing release papers, opening bottles, and even pumping out hand soap (which thankfully neither of them dove into detail about). 

It also led to several bad hand and arm puns, and by the end of the week, Damian and Virgil were begging for Patton to stop.

Two days after Patton woke up, Cassie called Damian on his phone. She told him that thanks to the aid of a friend, Emile would make a full recovery from being poisoned. However, she recommended Emile stay inside for the week and out of direct sunlight and get as much rest as possible, so he’d be staying with her until he made a safe recovery.

Remy, however, did return to school. He ended up apologizing to Patton, who held no ill will toward him, and they parted as odd friends. Besides, Remy was better at ordering hot chocolate than Damian was, and he never made Patton pay for a single one. 

Which was good, because when Patton got the medical bill for his injuries, he fainted.

That left only two people to tell about the encounter: Patton and Logan’s parents themselves. They were obviously upset Patton fell down the stairs and suffered so many injuries, but they were thankful Logan was there to help. That afternoon, they drove up to the campus to visit.

“And you’re sure nothing else hurts?” Patton’s mom asked.

“I’m fine,” Patton said with a smile. 

“You’re not having any headaches or nausea?” his father asked.

“Mom, dad, I’m okay, really. My friends have been taking really good care of me,” Patton explained. “They’ve come in handy a lot.”

“Come on, Pat,” Virgil whined.

“It’s not like you haven’t used that one several times already,” Damian mumbled.

Patton’s father opened his mouth to speak, but he ended up sneezing instead. He rubbed his nose and itched his eye with his hand. Patton and Logan shared a knowing look.

“Sorry, but… but do either of you two have a dog?” he asked.

“I do,” both Damian and Virgil said at the same time. They shared a look with each other, and Patton held in a giggle, which turned into a short snort.

“I’m just- I’m going to step outside, honey,” he said through another sneeze. He exited the room, and Patton’s mom sighed and crossed her arms.

“You’re sure everything’s okay?” she asked.

“One hundred percent absolutely positively,” Patton answered with a smile. 

His mother’s smile widened, and she said, “Well, if you ever need anything sweetheart, you know to call us, right? We’re only a phone call away.”

“Got it,” he said. He gave his mom as tight a hug as his broken slinged arm would allow, and she patted his back for good measure. They passed words of love around until his mom waved goodbye and exited the room.

Patton turned to both Virgil and Damian, and he said, “Well, that should be everyone.”

“God I hope so,” Virgil mumbled.

“It was entertaining to meet your parents for the first time, though,” Damian replied. “I just wish it was under different circumstances.”

Patton shrugged, and he flopped back onto his bed. Both Damian and Virgil rose to their feet, and Patton laughed.

“Come on guys, give me a break. I’m not made of glass,” Patton said.

Virgil rubbed his hand over his face while Damian curled his nose in disgust. Patton started to laugh, which brought a smile to the other two’s faces as well.

“Forgive me for having a heart,” Damian said.

Virgil mocked surprise. “You have a heart?”

“I just found it, actually. It was on sale.”

Virgil snorted out a laugh, and Damian cracked a toothy grin as well. Patton watched the two of them banter back and forth, and a warmth traveled through his stomach and into his chest. Perhaps they were miles from getting along, but this was definitely a step in the right direction. Perhaps Patton wouldn’t have to pick between the two of them after all. He rested his back against the pillow and sipped the lukewarm hot chocolate on his bedside counter.

After all, they were all his family, blood related or not, and Patton wouldn’t give them up for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Thank you all for giving me so much love and support for this story. It really means a lot to me :D
> 
> I don't know if there will be a part 3 in this series at this point, but I'd like to try. I have a lot of bugs to work out of the plot first.
> 
> Anyway, I'm totally cool with just heart comments, so don't worry if you have nothing to say! I'm thankful you even made it this far. If you'd like to keep up with me and my other works, you can find me on Tumblr @ altruistic-skittles
> 
> Happy Halloween!
> 
> -Cat

**Author's Note:**

> This is a mandatory rest stop if you're reading the whole way through! Grab a glass of water, stretch, or simply rest your eyes for a minute. You've earned it!


End file.
